Estimated Tax Payments
Rates and standards last checked against IRS.gov: November 6, 2026
If no one withholds tax from your income, the IRS expects you to pay it during the year in four installments. This guide covers who has to pay, the 2026 due dates, and how to avoid the underpayment penalty.
Quick answer
Do I need to make estimated tax payments?
Yes, if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file after withholding and credits. Pay in four installments due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. Paying 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's (110% for higher incomes) avoids the penalty.
Who this applies to: Self-employed people, freelancers, gig workers, landlords, and anyone with income that has little or no tax withheld.
What can change this answer
- The penalty is figured separately for each payment period.
- Withholding from a W-2 job counts toward the total.
- Last year's tax is the simplest safe target.
Recommended next step
Find your total tax on last year's return, divide it by four, and schedule payments through IRS Direct Pay or your IRS online account.
Reviewed by Joseph Lancaster, 13+ years in tax resolution.
Key facts
| Item | Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to pay | You expect to owe $1,000 or more after withholding and credits | IRS: Estimated taxes |
| 2026 due dates | April 15, June 15, Sept. 15, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027 | IRS Publication 505 |
| Safe harbor | Pay 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's, whichever is less | IRS: Underpayment of estimated tax penalty |
| Higher-income safe harbor | 110% of last year's tax if last year's AGI was over $150,000 ($75,000 married filing separately) | IRS: Underpayment of estimated tax penalty |
| Form to pay | Form 1040-ES | IRS: About Form 1040-ES |
| Form to figure the penalty | Form 2210 (Schedule AI if income is uneven) | IRS: About Form 2210 |
Compiled November 10, 2026 from the linked primary sources.
Who has to make estimated tax payments?
You generally have to pay estimated tax if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file, after subtracting withholding and refundable credits. That includes income from self-employment, interest, dividends, rent, capital gains, and prizes.
Self-employed people pay both income tax and self-employment tax through these payments. Use Form 1040-ES to figure each installment.
When are estimated taxes due in 2026?
| Income earned | Payment due |
|---|---|
| Jan. 1 - March 31 | April 15, 2026 |
| April 1 - May 31 | June 15, 2026 |
| June 1 - Aug. 31 | Sept. 15, 2026 |
| Sept. 1 - Dec. 31 | Jan. 15, 2027 |
If a due date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the payment is due the next business day. You can skip the January payment if you file your return by January 31, 2027 and pay all the tax you owe with it.
How do I avoid the underpayment penalty?
You generally won't owe the penalty if your return shows less than $1,000 due, or if your withholding and estimated payments covered the smaller of:
- 90% of the tax on this year's return, or
- 100% of the tax on last year's return (110% if last year's AGI was over $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately)
Farmers and fishers who earn at least two-thirds of their income from farming or fishing have a separate rule: pay two-thirds of this year's tax, or file and pay in full by March 1.
The penalty is figured per payment
What if I've already fallen behind?
- Pay on time, even if it's less than the full amount; the penalty is figured on each late or short payment
- If your income comes unevenly, use the annualized method on Form 2210, Schedule AI
- If you also have a W-2 job, raise your withholding; withholding counts as paid evenly through the year
- Use last year's tax as your target when this year's income is hard to predict
The IRS may waive the penalty if the underpayment came from a casualty, disaster or other unusual circumstance, or if you retired after age 62 or became disabled in the past 2 years and had reasonable cause. If you owe a balance at filing that you can't pay, look at an IRS payment plan, and see our penalty abatement guide for the other penalties that may apply.
Worked example: using last year's tax as your safe harbor
This shows the math for the prior-year safe harbor. Your own return and withholding decide the real numbers.
- Your total tax on last year's return was $12,000, and your AGI was under $150,000.
- Paying 100% of last year's tax, $12,000, protects you from the underpayment penalty this year.
- Split it into four payments of $3,000, due April 15, June 15, Sept. 15 and Jan. 15.
- If you also have $4,000 withheld from a W-2 job, you only need $8,000 in estimated payments: $2,000 a quarter.
- If this year's income turns out higher, you may owe more at filing, but no underpayment penalty.
Frequently asked questions
Who has to make estimated tax payments?
Generally, anyone who expects to owe $1,000 or more when they file, after subtracting withholding and credits. That usually means self-employed people, freelancers, landlords, and people with large investment income and little or no withholding.
When are estimated taxes due in 2026?
April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. If a date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the payment is due the next business day.
How do I avoid the underpayment penalty?
Pay at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax, whichever is less, through withholding and estimated payments. If last year's AGI was over $150,000 ($75,000 if married filing separately), use 110% of last year's tax instead of 100%.
Do I have to make the January payment?
Not if you file your return by January 31 and pay all the tax you owe with it. Otherwise, the fourth payment is due January 15.
Can the underpayment penalty be waived?
Sometimes. The IRS may waive or reduce it if the underpayment came from a casualty, disaster or other unusual circumstance, or if you retired after age 62 or became disabled in the past 2 years and had reasonable cause. Request it with Form 2210.
What if I can't pay my estimated taxes?
Pay what you can on time, because the penalty is figured on each late or short payment. If you end up owing at filing, you can still set up an IRS payment plan for the balance.
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