This guide is general information, not tax advice. Dates shown move off weekends; check the IRS for holidays and disaster extensions.
Who has to pay quarterly
If you're self-employed and expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal tax for the year after withholding and credits, the IRS expects you to pay during the year. No employer is withholding for you, so you send it yourself in four payments.
Why the periods are uneven
The "quarters" aren't equal: the second covers only April and May, and the third covers June through August. You can still pay the same amount each time if your income is steady.
How to pay
- IRS Direct Pay from your bank account, free, no sign-up.
- Your IRS Online Account, which also shows the payments you've made.
- EFTPS, the Treasury's free payment system, if you like to schedule ahead.
- A debit or credit card through an IRS-approved processor (they charge a fee).
Choose "estimated tax" and "1040-ES" for the tax year the payment is for. Many states have their own quarterly payments on similar dates.
Avoiding the underpayment penalty
You can generally avoid a penalty by paying, across the four payments, at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax (110% if last year's adjusted gross income was over $150,000). If you miss a date, pay as soon as you can: the penalty works like interest, so it grows the longer you wait.