Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator 2026, Deadlines & Payment Amounts

2026 Quarterly Estimated Tax Deadlines

The IRS divides the tax year into four unequal periods, each with its own payment deadline. Payments are made using Form 1040-ES:

Note that the quarters are not equal three-month periods. Q2 covers only two months (April–May), while Q3 covers three months (June–August) and Q4 covers four months (September–December). If a due date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Who Must Pay Estimated Taxes?

You generally must make estimated tax payments if both of these apply:

• You expect to owe at least $1,000 in federal tax for the year after subtracting withholding and refundable credits.
• You expect your withholding and refundable credits to be less than the smaller of: (a) 90% of the tax shown on your current year's return, or (b) 100% of the tax shown on your prior year's return (110% if your AGI exceeded $150,000).

This commonly includes:

• Self-employed individuals and freelancers
• Independent contractors (1099 workers)
• Landlords with rental income
• Investors with significant capital gains or dividends
• Retirees with pension income and insufficient withholding

Safe Harbor Rules, Avoiding Penalties

The IRS won't charge underpayment penalties if your estimated payments and withholding meet the safe harbor threshold:

• 100% of prior year's tax: If your AGI was $150,000 or less($75,000 if married filing separately), paying at least 100% of last year's total tax liability through estimated payments and withholding satisfies safe harbor.
• 110% of prior year's tax: If your AGI exceeded $150,000, you must pay at least 110% of last year's tax liability.
• 90% of current year's tax: Alternatively, paying at least 90% of your current year's actual tax liability also avoids penalties.

The safe harbor protects you even if your income increases significantly, as long as you pay the required percentage of last year's tax, you won't be penalized regardless of how much you ultimately owe.

Underpayment Penalties (Form 2210)

If you don't pay enough estimated tax, the IRS computes an underpayment penalty using Form 2210. Key points:

• The penalty is essentially interest on the underpaid amount, charged at the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points.
• Each quarter is assessed independently, you can owe a penalty for Q1 even if you overpay in Q4.
• The penalty runs from the payment due date until the earlier of the actual payment date or April 15 of the following year.
• If your income arrives unevenly, you can use the annualized income installment method (Form 2210, Schedule AI) to reduce or eliminate penalties.

Worked Examples, Quarterly Payment Amounts