Quarterly Tax Estimator
Estimate your quarterly estimated tax payments as a freelancer or self-employed professional. Includes federal income tax, self-employment tax, and deductions.
How Quarterly Estimated Taxes Work
Self-employed individuals, freelancers, and independent contractors must pay estimated taxes quarterly because they do not have an employer withholding taxes from their paycheck. The IRS requires you to pay estimated taxes if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file your return. Quarterly payments cover both income tax and self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare). The four quarterly due dates are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. Missing these deadlines can result in underpayment penalties, so it is important to calculate and pay on time.
Self-Employment Tax Explained
Self-employment tax covers Social Security (12.4%) and Medicare (2.9%) contributions. As an employee, you only pay half — your employer pays the other half. When self-employed, you pay both halves for a combined rate of 15.3%. However, you can deduct the employer-equivalent portion (7.65%) from your adjusted gross income, which reduces your income tax. Self-employment tax applies to 92.35% of your net self-employment earnings. For 2026, the Social Security tax applies to the first $176,100 in earnings (SSA COLA update), while the Medicare tax applies to all earnings with an additional 0.9% surtax on income above $200,000 for single filers.
Deductions That Reduce Your Quarterly Payments
Common self-employment deductions include home office expenses, health insurance premiums, business equipment, software subscriptions, vehicle expenses, professional development, and retirement contributions to a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k). The qualified business income (QBI) deduction allows many self-employed individuals to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income. Track every business expense throughout the year — even small deductions add up to significant tax savings. Using a separate business bank account and accounting software makes tracking expenses much easier when quarterly payment time arrives.
Getting the Most from This Tool
Start by exploring the default settings to understand what the tool offers, then customize the inputs to match your specific needs. Use the results as a starting point for deeper analysis or decision-making. Bookmark this page for quick access in the future. All processing happens in your browser, so your data stays private and the tool works even without an internet connection after the initial page load.
Quarterly Tax Estimator — 2026 IRS Safe Harbor Rules and Deadlines
For the 2026 tax year, the IRS safe harbor rule remains: pay 100% of last year's total tax (110% if your prior-year AGI was above $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately) in four equal quarterly installments and you cannot be assessed an underpayment penalty regardless of what you owe when you file. The 2026 Social Security wage base rose to $176,100 (from $168,600 in 2025) per the Social Security Administration COLA update, so the 12.4% Social Security portion of self-employment tax caps out $940 higher this year. The 2026 quarterly due dates are April 15, June 16, September 15, and January 15, 2027 (June 15 falls on a Sunday, pushing to the next business day). Use IRS Form 1040-ES voucher or pay through IRS Direct Pay free of fees. Enter last year's total tax into the estimator, then divide by four for the exact safe harbor payment — no need to guess this year's income. Updated 2026-07-16.