1099 Quarterly Tax Calculator
The simple quarterly estimated tax calculator freelancers keep asking for: your federal quarterly payment and due dates in seconds - or the safe-harbor amount that makes IRS underpayment penalties impossible. No signup, nothing to install.
Q1
April 15, 2026
Q2
June 15, 2026
Q3
September 15, 2026
Q4
January 15, 2027
Where the number comes from
- Net self-employment income
- $73,000
- Self-employment tax (SS + Medicare)
- $10,315
- Deduction for half of SE tax
- -$5,157
- QBI deduction (20%)
- -$10,349
- Taxable income after deductions
- $41,394
- Federal income tax
- $4,719
- Total federal tax for the year
- $15,034
Federal only - state estimated taxes are separate; check your state Department of Revenue. Pay online at IRS Direct Pay.
How to use this calculator
- Estimate mode: enter what you expect to earn on 1099s this year and your deductible expenses - the quarterly payment, due dates, and full math appear instantly.
- Safe-harbor mode: grab two numbers from last year's Form 1040 (total tax, line 24; AGI, line 11) and get the penalty-proof quarterly amount.
- Pay each installment by its due date via IRS Direct Pay - and remember your state runs its own separate system.
How it works: the math
The estimate follows the IRS Form 1040-ES worksheet. Self-employment tax comes first: 92.35% of your net earnings is taxed at 15.3% (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, plus 2.9% Medicare with no cap). You then deduct half of that SE tax, your standard deduction, and the 20% QBI deduction before applying the regular income-tax brackets. Total tax divided by four is your quarterly payment.
A fully worked example with realistic US numbers. A single freelancer expecting $85,000 of 1099 income with $12,000 of expenses nets $73,000. Schedule SE taxes 92.35% of that: $10,315 of self-employment tax ($8,360 Social Security + $1,955 Medicare). After deducting half the SE tax ($5,157), the $16,100 standard deduction, and a $10,349 QBI deduction, taxable income is$41,394 and income tax is $4,719. Total: $15,034 for the year -$3,758 per quarter, or about 17.69¢ of every dollar invoiced set aside as you go.
The safe-harbor alternative skips all estimating: pay 100% of last year’s total tax (110% if last year’s AGI topped $150,000) in four equal installments and the IRS cannot assess an underpayment penalty, regardless of what you end up owing. High-growth years still produce a balance due in April - but never a penalty.
Formulas follow IRSForm 1040-ESand Schedule SE; safe-harbor rules perPublication 505. Uses 2026 figures (wage base, brackets, standard deduction). Simplifications: assumes QBI below the phase-out range, no additional Medicare tax (0.9% above $200k), and no credits - treat the result as a planning estimate, not a filing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay quarterly taxes on 1099 income?
Generally yes, if you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year after withholding. Unlike W-2 employees, nobody withholds taxes from freelance checks, so the IRS wants payment as you earn - in four installments. Skip them and the IRS charges an underpayment penalty computed like interest, even if you pay in full by April.
What happens if I skip a quarterly estimated tax payment?
You accrue an underpayment penalty from that quarter’s due date until you pay - currently calculated at the federal short-term rate plus three points. It is not a flat fine; it compounds like interest on the shortfall. Catching up in a later quarter stops it growing but does not erase what accrued. The safe-harbor amount above is the clean way to make penalties impossible.
How much should I set aside for taxes as a freelancer?
For a single filer netting around $70-75k after expenses, the all-in federal bill lands near 18% of gross - this calculator shows your exact number as the "set aside per invoice" percentage. Add your state’s income tax on top. Moving that slice to a separate savings account the day each invoice pays is the habit that makes quarterlies painless.
What is the safe harbor rule for estimated taxes?
Pay 100% of last year’s total tax (110% if your adjusted gross income was over $150,000) in four equal installments, and the IRS cannot penalize you for underpayment - no matter how much you actually owe in April. It is the one number that lets a freelancer with wildly variable income stop guessing.
What are the quarterly tax due dates this year?
For tax year 2026: April 15, June 15, and September 15 of 2026, then January 15, 2027 for the fourth quarter. Note the uneven spacing - the second payment comes only two months after the first. Dates shift a day or two when they land on weekends or holidays.
Why is self-employment tax 15.3%?
It is both halves of Social Security and Medicare: employees pay 7.65% and employers match it, but when you are the employer, you pay both - 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare. It applies to 92.35% of your net earnings, and you deduct the "employer half" from your income before income tax, which softens the blow.
Can I just pay all my estimated taxes in the fourth quarter?
No - penalties are assessed per quarter, so a big January payment does not cure missed April, June, and September installments. The exception is the annualized-income method (Form 2210 Schedule AI), which helps if you genuinely earned most of your income late in the year, but it requires extra paperwork.
Do quarterly taxes cover my state income tax too?
No. This calculator handles federal only - IRS payments and state estimated payments are entirely separate systems with their own vouchers and portals. Most states with an income tax expect their own quarterlies on a similar schedule; check your state’s Department of Revenue.
What if my freelance income changes a lot from quarter to quarter?
Two options: re-run this calculator each quarter with your updated annual projection and adjust the remaining payments, or sidestep the guesswork entirely with the safe-harbor amount, which depends only on last year’s return. Most variable-income freelancers sleep better on safe harbor.
Does the QBI deduction apply to my 1099 income?
Usually yes. The Qualified Business Income deduction lets most self-employed people deduct 20% of their net business income before income tax (not before SE tax). It phases down for high earners in certain service fields, but below roughly $200k single / $400k joint it applies broadly - this calculator includes it automatically.
How do I actually send my payment to the IRS?
IRS Direct Pay (directpay.irs.gov) is free and takes two minutes from a bank account - choose "Estimated Tax" as the reason. Alternatives: your IRS Online Account, the EFTPS system for scheduling all four in advance, or mailing the 1040-ES voucher with a check. Keep the confirmation numbers; you will report total payments on next year’s return.