Quarterly estimated taxes for 2026: due dates and safe harbors
No employer is withholding tax from your self-employment income, so the IRS expects you to pay as you go. Miss the payments and you may owe a penalty on top of the tax, even if you pay in full in April.
Key takeaways
- Pay estimates if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file, after withholding and credits.
- 2026 due dates: April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.
- Avoid the penalty by paying 90% of this year’s tax or 100% of last year’s (110% if last year’s AGI was over $150,000).
- Estimates cover income tax and self-employment tax, which is 15.3% on most net earnings.
2026 estimated tax due dates
| Payment | Covers income earned | Due |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | January 1 – March 31 | April 15, 2026 |
| 2nd | April 1 – May 31 | June 15, 2026 |
| 3rd | June 1 – August 31 | September 15, 2026 |
| 4th | September 1 – December 31 | January 15, 2027 |
The “quarters” aren’t equal: the second covers two months and the fourth covers four. Your state may have its own estimated tax schedule.
The safe harbors
You avoid an underpayment penalty if your withholding and timely estimates add up to at least the smaller of:
- 90% of the tax shown on your 2026 return, or
- 100% of the tax shown on your 2025 return, or 110% if your 2025 adjusted gross income was more than $150,000 ($75,000 if married filing separately).
The prior-year safe harbor is the easy one to plan around: divide last year’s total tax (or 110% of it) by four and pay that each quarter. If your income jumps, you still owe the difference in April, but without a penalty.
If your income is seasonal, the annualized income installment method on Form 2210 can lower or eliminate a penalty for quarters when you earned less.
Estimating what you owe
- Start from your expected net profit: income minus business expenses and mileage.
- Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of net earnings (the Social Security part stops at the annual wage base).
- Add income tax at your bracket, after the deduction for half of self-employment tax and any qualified business income deduction.
- Subtract any withholding from a W-2 job or a spouse’s paycheck.
Every deduction you capture lowers both income tax and self-employment tax, which is why steady record-keeping pays off each quarter, not just in April.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss a quarterly payment?
The IRS charges an underpayment penalty, figured like interest on the amount that was late. Pay as soon as you can to limit it; a later payment doesn’t erase the earlier shortfall.
Do I need to pay estimates in my first year self-employed?
If you had no tax liability the prior year and were a U.S. citizen or resident for the full year, you generally owe no penalty for that year. You still owe the tax in April.
Can I increase W-2 withholding instead?
Yes. Withholding is treated as paid evenly through the year, so raising withholding at a day job is a common way to cover self-employment tax.
Sources
- IRS: Estimated taxes
- Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals
- Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax
This guide is general information for U.S. federal taxes, current as of October 21, 2026. It isn’t tax, legal, or accounting advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.
Keep the records
this guide asks for.
spentr captures receipts, business miles, and rental hours as they happen, so they’re ready when you file.