Estimated Tax Calculator

Estimated tax is your self-employment tax plus federal income tax, paid to the IRS in four quarterly installments because no employer withholds for you. For a single freelancer with $80,000 of net 1099 income and no withholding, 2026 estimated tax totals about $18,830, or roughly $4,708 per quarter. This calculator computes both halves with the 2026 IRS figures and shows the smaller safe-harbor amount that avoids the underpayment penalty.

This page answers "how much do I send the IRS each quarter?" It works alongside a few sister tools: the Income Tax Calculator gives your full-year federal bill, the Paycheck Calculator shows W-2 take-home after withholding, the Salary Calculator converts pay between hourly, monthly, and annual, and the Tax Refund Calculator estimates whether you'll owe or get money back at filing. Use this page when you specifically need the per-quarter 1040-ES amount.

Take a concrete example: a single freelancer with $80,000 of net self-employment income in 2026 and no other income. SE tax applies to $80,000 × 0.9235 = $73,880: 12.4% Social Security ($9,161) + 2.9% Medicare ($2,143) = about $11,304. Half of that ($5,652) is deductible. Taxable income is $80,000 − $16,100 standard deduction − $5,652 = $58,248, which runs through the 2026 single brackets to roughly $7,527 of income tax. The total is about $18,830, or $4,708 per quarter. If paying 90% of that is your safe harbor, the penalty-free minimum is $16,947 for the year, or $4,237 per quarter.

The formula

Worked example: estimated tax on $80,000 net (step by step)

Following the formula for a single filer with $80,000 of net self-employment income in 2026, the $16,100 standard deduction, and no withholding:

The calculator works with unrounded amounts, so a total can differ by $1 from the sum of the rounded lines.

2026 federal income tax brackets (single)

The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single and married filing separately, $32,200 for married filing jointly, and $24,150 for head of household (Rev. Proc. 2025-32). Choose your filing status in the calculator and the right brackets and deduction are applied automatically.

How much is estimated tax on 1099 income? (2026, single filer)

Each row is a single filer whose only income is net self-employment profit, taking the $16,100 standard deduction with no withholding. SE tax, income tax, and the per-quarter payment are computed with the formula above.

How much should I set aside? Single vs. married filing jointly

The same net self-employment income in 2026, compared for a single filer and a one-earner married-filing-jointly couple. The "share" columns are the total federal tax as a percent of net income, a realistic amount to set aside from each payment you receive.

Notice the "set aside" share climbs from roughly 18% at $30,000 to over 30% at $200,000 for a single filer, the case for the common 25-30% rule of thumb and for leaning higher as income grows. A joint return with one earner runs several points lower on the same income because the wider MFJ brackets and $32,200 deduction pull down the income-tax half (SE tax is unaffected by filing status).

Self-employment tax explained

W-2 employees split Social Security and Medicare with their employer. Self-employed people pay both sides, a combined 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security on net earnings up to the $184,500 2026 wage base, and 2.9% Medicare with no cap, plus a separate 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on self-employment income above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint (reduced by any W-2 wages). The upside: one-half of your SE tax is deductible when computing income tax, which this calculator does for you.

Staying penalty-free: the safe harbor

To avoid an underpayment penalty, pay at least 90% of your 2026 tax or 100% of your 2025 tax (110% if your 2025 AGI was over $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately), whichever is smaller. Spreading payments evenly across the four 2026 due dates (April 15, June 15, September 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027) keeps you compliant even if your income climbs during the year. Enter last year's tax in the optional section of the calculator to see which target is lower for you.

How to use this calculator

You only need a few numbers to get a realistic quarterly estimate. Work through the fields in order:

1. Filing status: pick single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household. This sets the correct standard deduction and bracket thresholds.
2. Net self-employment income: enter your expected business profit for 2026 (revenue minus deductible business expenses), not your gross sales.
3. W-2 wages and other income: add any job wages separately from interest, dividends or other taxable income. Wages count toward the Social Security wage base and lower the Additional Medicare threshold for your self-employment income.
4. Deduction: leave the 2026 standard deduction in place, or uncheck it and enter your total itemized deductions.
5. Optional extras: enter deductible adjustments (IRA, HSA, self-employed health insurance), federal tax already withheld or paid this year, and your 2025 total tax if you want the calculator to use the prior-year safe harbor.

The result updates instantly. Read the per-quarter payment that covers your full 2026 tax and the penalty-free minimum below it, then use the four IRS due dates to schedule your payments through IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS.

Who needs to make estimated payments

Estimated taxes apply to income that isn't covered by employer withholding. You likely owe quarterly payments if you are:

• Self-employed or a sole proprietor reporting profit on Schedule C; the Self-Employment Tax Calculator isolates just the SE-tax portion if that is all you need.
• A freelancer, gig worker, or 1099 contractor (rideshare, delivery, consulting, design, trades).
• A landlord or investor with rental, interest, dividend, or capital-gains income.
• A partner or S-corp shareholder receiving pass-through income with no withholding.
• A W-2 employee with a large side income that pushes your expected balance due over $1,000.

If your only income is a W-2 job and your withholding covers the bill, you generally do not need to file 1040-ES, but a big bonus, stock sale, or second gig can change that.

A second worked example: side income with withholding

Imagine a single filer with a $50,000 W-2 job (already withholding $5,000 in federal tax) plus $20,000 of net freelance income in 2026. SE tax applies only to the freelance side: $20,000 × 0.9235 = $18,470, taxed at 15.3% for about $2,826. Half of that ($1,413) is deductible. Taxable income is $50,000 + $20,000 − $16,100 standard deduction − $1,413 = about $52,487, which produces roughly $6,259 of income tax through the 2026 single brackets. Total federal tax is about $9,085; after the $5,000 already withheld, the remaining $4,085 is spread across the quarters, about $1,021 each. This is why the calculator asks for both your wages and your withholding: they pull the quarterly number in opposite directions. To check the take-home pay on that W-2 side, run it through the Paycheck Calculator.

What changes your quarterly number the most

Adjust the inputs and you'll see a few factors dominate the result:

• Net income: the biggest driver, since every extra dollar of profit is hit by both SE tax (15.3% on 92.35% of it) and income tax.
• Business deductions: legitimate expenses reduce net income, cutting both taxes at once, so tracking them carefully pays off.
• Filing status: a joint return roughly doubles the bracket widths and standard deduction, often lowering the rate on the same income.
• Withholding from a W-2 job: dollars already withheld come straight off the top of what you owe in quarters.
• The Social Security wage base: once your SE base plus W-2 wages clear $184,500 (2026), the 12.4% Social Security portion stops, so only the 2.9% Medicare rate continues above that.

Tips to lower the bill (legally)

• Track every deductible expense: home office, mileage, software, supplies, and health insurance premiums all reduce net self-employment income.
• Fund a retirement plan: a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k) can shelter a large share of self-employment income from income tax.
• Don't forget the ½ SE-tax deduction: it is automatic here, but make sure your own bookkeeping reflects it.
• Consider the QBI deduction: many pass-through businesses qualify for a 20% qualified business income deduction (not modeled in this estimate); confirm eligibility with a tax pro.
• Pay quarterly, not all at once: setting money aside each quarter (a common rule of thumb is 25-30% of net income) avoids a year-end cash crunch and the penalty.

Key terms explained

• Net earnings from self-employment: business profit (Schedule C) after expenses; multiplied by 0.9235 to set the SE-tax base.
• SE tax: the self-employed version of FICA: 12.4% Social Security (capped) + 2.9% Medicare (uncapped), reported on Schedule SE.
• 1040-ES: the IRS form and worksheet used to figure and submit quarterly estimated payments.
• Safe harbor: a payment threshold (90% current-year / 100% or 110% prior-year) that shields you from the underpayment penalty.
• Additional Medicare tax: an extra 0.9% on wages and self-employment earnings above $200,000 (single or head of household), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately), figured on Form 8959.
• Annualized income installment method: a Form 2210 option that lets uneven earners match payments to when income was actually received.

Limitations and assumptions

This tool is a planning estimate, not a filed return. Keep these in mind:

• It covers federal tax only, with no state or local income tax, which most states also collect quarterly.
• It does not apply tax credits (Child Tax Credit, EITC, education credits) that could lower what you owe.
• It does not model the QBI deduction, the new Schedule 1-A deductions (tips, overtime, car loan interest, seniors), or the annualized income method for lumpy earnings.
• It uses the 2026 figures; brackets, the standard deduction, and the wage base change each year.
• The Additional Medicare Tax shown covers self-employment income only; any owed on W-2 wages above $200,000 is normally withheld by your employer.
• Your actual liability depends on your full return, so treat the per-quarter figure as a target, then reconcile at tax time.

The four payment periods and their due dates

The "quarters" the IRS uses are not even three-month blocks; they are uneven payment periods, each with its own deadline. For tax year 2026 the schedule is:

• Q1 (Jan 1 to Mar 31): due April 15, 2026.
• Q2 (Apr 1 to May 31): due June 15, 2026.
• Q3 (Jun 1 to Aug 31): due September 15, 2026.
• Q4 (Sep 1 to Dec 31): due January 15, 2027.

If you file your 2026 return and pay the full balance by February 1, 2027, you can skip the final January 15 installment. Whenever a due date lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, it moves to the next business day, so the exact calendar date can shift slightly from year to year.

How it compares to related calculators

This page answers "how much do I send the IRS each quarter?" If your question is different, a sister tool fits better:

• To see your full-year federal bill from all sources, use the Income Tax Calculator.
• To check W-2 take-home pay after withholding, use the Paycheck Calculator.
• To find the marginal bracket your next dollar falls into, use the Tax Bracket Calculator.
• To see the average rate you actually pay, use the Effective Tax Rate Calculator.
• To estimate a possible refund or balance due, use the Tax Refund Calculator, or isolate the SE-tax piece with the Self-Employment Tax Calculator.