Estimated tax due dates for 2026

Updated October 28, 2026

Self-employed people generally pay federal estimated taxes four times a year. For tax year 2026 the due dates are April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. If a date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it moves to the next business day.

Who has to pay

You generally need to make estimated payments if you expect to owe at least $1,000 in federal tax for the year after subtracting your withholding and credits. If you are self-employed (a barber, stylist, cleaner, freelancer or any sole proprietor), nobody is withholding tax from your income, so you usually do.

How much to pay

The IRS generally will not charge an underpayment penalty if your payments add up to at least 90% of the tax for the current year, or 100% of the tax shown on last year's return (110% if last year's adjusted gross income was over $150,000). A simple approach is to put a fixed share of every sale aside as you go and pay that amount each quarter. The self-employed tax calculator estimates the amount.

How to pay

• Online with IRS Direct Pay (from a bank account, no fee).
• With a debit or credit card or digital wallet through an IRS-approved processor (the processor charges a fee).
• By mail with a Form 1040-ES voucher. See About Form 1040-ES.

For the IRS's own explanation, see Estimated taxes. This page is a summary for planning and is not tax advice.

Keep track as you go

QuickBizTrack's Taxes tab shows what to set aside for each quarter from the sales you log, the date each payment is due, and lets you record the payments you have made, so you can see what is left to pay.

Common questions