Quarterly Estimated Tax Calculator
Free 2026 quarterly tax calculator for freelancers, consultants, and 1099 contractors. Enter your expected income and expenses to see self-employment tax, federal income tax, and how much to pay by each IRS due date.
Use 0 for states with no income tax
Form 1040 line 24, for safe harbor
Next payment
$20,647
1 payment left
Annual tax due
$20,647
federal + state
Effective rate
25.8%
12.0% marginal bracket
Safe harbor
$3,746
federal per quarter
2026 payment schedule
| Quarter | Income period | Due date | Even split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 - Mar 31 | Apr 15, 2026 (passed) | $5,162 |
| Q2 | Apr 1 - May 31 | Jun 15, 2026 (passed) | $5,162 |
| Q3 | Jun 1 - Aug 31 | Sep 15, 2026 (passed) | $5,162 |
| Q4 | Sep 1 - Dec 31 | Jan 15, 2027 | $5,162 |
How we got there
| Net self-employment profit | $80,000 |
| Self-employment tax (15.3%) | $11,304 |
| Additional Medicare tax (0.9%) | $0 |
| Half of SE tax deduction | -$5,652 |
| QBI deduction (20%) | -$11,650 |
| Taxable income | $46,599 |
| Federal income tax | $5,344 |
| Total federal tax | $16,647 |
| W-2 withholding | $0 |
| State tax estimate | $4,000 |
| Estimated payments made | $0 |
Estimate only. Uses 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction, and applies your state rate to self-employment profit. QBI phase-outs, credits, and other income are not modeled. Confirm with a tax professional.
Export your results as PDF or email
Know What Each Client Actually Earns You
Rize tracks your client hours automatically, so you can see your real hourly rate after taxes and price your next project with confidence.
More Free Tools
Hours Calculator
Add up hours and minutes for timesheets, payroll, and billing.
Project Tracking ROI Calculator
Estimate recovered billable hours and project margin lift.
Profit Calculator
Find hidden revenue from under-reported billable hours.
Billable Hours Calculator
Calculate billable revenue from hours, rate, and utilization.
Time Audit Calculator
Find the hidden cost of untracked billable hours and timesheet admin.
Timecard & Timesheet Calculator
Enter clock-in/out times and get weekly hours and pay instantly.
Timesheet Template
Download a ready-to-use weekly timesheet as CSV.
Rate Calculator
Convert your hourly rate to annual income after expenses.
Overtime Calculator
Calculate overtime pay with 1.5x and 2x rates instantly.
PTO Calculator
Track PTO accrual, balance, and next accrual date.
Work Hours Planner
Plan your weekly schedule with focus blocks and breaks.
Weekly Status Report Template
Build a weekly team status report and the AI prompt that writes it.
Time Audit Template
Rank repetitive tasks by hours saved and find what to automate first.
Utilization Rate Calculator
Calculate your team's billable utilization rate and find the revenue hiding in untracked hours.
Retainer Pricing Calculator
Price monthly retainers for your target margin.
Agency Capacity Planner
Monthly billable capacity, open hours, and hiring needs.
Invoice Generator
Turn tracked hours into a branded invoice PDF with a payment link. No sign-up.
Estimate Generator
Build a branded estimate or quote PDF for client work. No sign-up.
Proposal Generator
Build a branded proposal or SOW PDF for client work. No sign-up.
Receipt Generator
Create a branded paid-in-full receipt PDF for services rendered. No sign-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
The IRS expects estimated payments if you will owe $1,000 or more in federal tax after withholding and credits. That usually covers freelancers, consultants, 1099 contractors, and business owners with income that has no tax withheld.
2026 payments are due April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. When a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. The Social Security part stops at the 2026 wage base of $184,500, counting any W-2 wages you also earned.
You avoid an underpayment penalty if your payments and withholding cover at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax. If last year's AGI was over $150,000, the prior-year target is 110%.
The qualified business income deduction lets many self-employed people deduct up to 20% of their business profit. It phases out for some service businesses at higher incomes, so turn it off in the calculator if it does not apply to you.
Pay federal estimates online through IRS Direct Pay, EFTPS, or your IRS online account, or mail a Form 1040-ES voucher. Most states with an income tax run their own estimated payment system.
Divide your annual tax due by your expected income to get an effective rate, then move that percentage of every client payment into a separate account. Tracking hours per client in a tool like Rize shows which clients actually pay enough after taxes.