Compute your quarterly estimated tax payments as a freelancer, 1099 contractor, or side hustler. Uses 2026 IRS brackets, 2026 self-employment tax, and 5 state tax rates. The next quarterly deadline is September 15, 2026.
These books and tools cover the quarterly tax workflow end-to-end — the deductions, the safe harbor math, the S-corp decision, and the Q3 payment strategy.
Estimated taxes are quarterly payments made to the IRS to cover federal income tax and self-employment tax on income that is not subject to withholding — typically 1099 freelance income, side hustle income, business profits, and investment income. The U.S. tax year has four estimated tax deadlines: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. Each payment covers one quarter of expected annual tax liability.
You generally must pay quarterly estimated taxes if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in tax for the year after subtracting withholding and refundable credits. This applies to self-employed individuals (1099 contractors, freelancers, sole proprietors), S-corp owners, partners, and anyone with significant non-wage income. The penalty for not paying enough is calculated as interest on the shortfall, not a flat fee — it is the federal short-term rate plus 3%, recalculated quarterly.
To avoid an underpayment penalty, pay at least the smaller of (1) 90% of your current year tax, or (2) 100% of your prior year tax (110% if your prior year AGI was over $150,000). This is the safe harbor rule. If you meet either threshold through your quarterly payments, the IRS waives the penalty even if you owe more at tax time. Most freelancers use prior-year-100% as a simpler baseline because it requires zero forecasting.
| Rate | Income range |
|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 |
| 12% | $12,400 – $50,400 |
| 22% | $50,400 – $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 – $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,775 – $256,225 |
| 35% | $256,225 – $640,600 |
| 37% | $640,600+ |
SE tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net self-employment earnings. It consists of 12.4% Social Security on the first $176,100 of net SE earnings (the 2026 wage base, up from $168,600 in 2025) and 2.9% Medicare on all net SE earnings. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to net SE earnings above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). You can deduct half of your SE tax as an above-the-line adjustment to income.
Q1: April 15, 2026 (covers Jan 1 – Mar 31). Q2: June 15, 2026 (covers Apr 1 – May 31). Q3: September 15, 2026 (covers Jun 1 – Aug 31) — 61 days from today. Q4: January 15, 2027 (covers Sep 1 – Dec 31). Pay online at IRS Direct Pay, EFTPS, or by mailing Form 1040-ES. If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it shifts to the next business day.
Estimated tax payments are quarterly payments made to the IRS and your state tax authority to cover income tax and self-employment tax on income that is not subject to withholding — typically 1099 freelance income, side hustle income, business profits, and investment income. The US tax year has four estimated tax deadlines: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year.
You generally must pay quarterly estimated taxes if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in tax for the year after subtracting withholding and refundable credits. This applies to self-employed individuals (1099 contractors, freelancers, sole proprietors), S-corp owners, partners, and anyone with significant non-wage income such as rental income, investment gains, or side hustle income.
You avoid the underpayment penalty by paying at least the smaller of (1) 90% of your current year tax, or (2) 100% of your prior year tax (110% if your prior year AGI was over $150,000). This is the safe harbor rule. If you meet either threshold through your quarterly payments, the IRS waives the penalty even if you owe more at tax time.
Self-employment (SE) tax in 2026 is 15.3% on 92.35% of your net self-employment earnings. It consists of 12.4% Social Security tax on the first $176,100 of net SE earnings (the 2026 wage base, up from $168,600 in 2025) and 2.9% Medicare tax on all net SE earnings. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to net SE earnings above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). You can deduct half of your SE tax as an above-the-line adjustment to income.
The Q3 2026 estimated tax deadline is September 15, 2026. Q3 covers income earned from June 1 through August 31, 2026. The payment can be made online via IRS Direct Pay, EFTPS, debit/credit card, or by mailing Form 1040-ES. If September 15 falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day.
Pay what you can by the deadline. The underpayment penalty is calculated on the shortfall, not as a flat fee — it is essentially interest for the period of underpayment (the federal short-term rate plus 3%, recalculated quarterly). Paying even a partial amount dramatically reduces the penalty. If you cannot pay at all, file and pay as soon as you can to stop the penalty from accruing further.
Yes, most states with an income tax also require quarterly estimated payments, often with different due dates and different safe harbor thresholds. The 8 states with no state income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) require no state estimated tax. Check your state's Department of Revenue website for specific due dates — many states use April 15 / June 15 / September 15 / January 15 like the federal calendar, but a few use slightly different dates.