Estimate your 2026 taxes as a US freelancer, what to pay the IRS each quarter and how much of every client payment to set aside. Built for 1099 contractors, with the 2026 tax brackets and due dates.
Updated for the 2026 tax year · IRS Form 1040-ES rules and due dates
2026 IRS figures with the standard deduction and the QBI deduction. State tax uses 2026 state brackets and deductions; local taxes and phase-outs aren’t included. An estimate, not tax advice.
Enter your expected 2026 profit: your freelance or 1099 income minus business expenses.
Choose your filing status.
Choose your state. Nine states, including Texas and Florida, don’t tax freelance income at all.
See your total tax, what to pay each quarter and the share of every client payment to set aside.
Nobody withholds tax from freelance income, so you need to put some of every payment aside yourself. Here’s the federal tax on different levels of profit for a single filer with no other income, using the 2026 brackets, the standard deduction and the QBI deduction:
Net profit
Federal tax for 2026
Share of income
Per quarter
$30,000
$5,181
17%
$1,295
$50,000
$9,732
19%
$2,433
$80,000
$16,647
21%
$4,162
$120,000
$28,462
24%
$7,115
$200,000
$53,431
27%
$13,358
State income tax comes on top, so most freelancers end up setting aside 20% to 30% of what they earn. The simplest habit is to move that share into a separate savings account every time a client pays. The calculator shows your exact percentage.
The US tax system is pay-as-you-go. Employers take tax out of every paycheck, but when you work for yourself, you send it to the IRS in four installments during the year, using Form 1040-ES.
You generally need to make estimated payments if you expect to owe at least $1,000 in federal tax for 2026 after withholding and credits. The payments cover both your federal income tax and your self-employment tax.
Self-employment tax is the 15.3% that pays for Social Security and Medicare, and it’s usually the bigger of the two for freelancers. See how it works with our self-employment tax calculator.
Each payment covers the income you earned in the months before it. The periods aren’t equal quarters, which catches many freelancers out:
Payment
Income earned
Due date
1st
January 1 – March 31, 2026
April 15, 2026
2nd
April 1 – May 31, 2026
June 15, 2026
3rd
June 1 – August 31, 2026
September 15, 2026
4th
September 1 – December 31, 2026
January 15, 2027
You can skip the January payment if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay everything you owe at the same time.
The IRS charges a penalty when you pay too little during the year or pay late. You’re protected if your payments add up to at least the smaller of:
90% of your 2026 tax, or
100% of the tax on your 2025 return, or 110% if your 2025 adjusted gross income was over $150,000 ($75,000 if married filing separately).
The second option is the easiest to plan around. If your 2025 return showed $12,000 of tax, paying $3,000 each quarter keeps you safe even if you earn much more in 2026. You’ll pay the rest when you file, without a penalty.
The penalty works like interest on each missed or late payment for the days it’s outstanding. For October to December 2026, the IRS rate is 7% a year.
Estimated payments are based on what you expect to earn, so it’s fine to adjust them. After a big month or a quiet quarter, update your profit in the calculator and change your remaining payments to match.
If most of your income arrives late in the year, the annualized income installment method on Form 2210 can lower your earlier payments. It takes more paperwork, so it’s worth asking an accountant.
IRS Direct Pay: free payments straight from your bank account.
Your IRS online account: pay and see the payments you’ve already made.
EFTPS: a free Treasury system that lets you schedule payments in advance.
Debit or credit card: through IRS-approved processors, for a fee.
Check by mail: with a payment voucher from Form 1040-ES.
Most states with an income tax have their own estimated payments, often on similar dates. Check your state’s revenue department for how to pay.
Keep a separate tax account. Money you can’t see is money you won’t spend.
Set aside a share of every payment. It’s much easier than finding thousands of dollars four times a year.
Track your expenses. Every deductible expense lowers both income tax and self-employment tax.
Put the due dates in your calendar and set a reminder a week before each one.
For more on deductions, see our tax deduction cheat sheet and the freelancer’s guide to tax season.
How much should I set aside for taxes as a freelancer?
Do I have to pay quarterly taxes?
What happens if I miss a quarterly payment?
Can I pay all my estimated taxes at once?
Does tax withheld from my job count?
Do I need to pay state taxes quarterly too?
Is self-employment tax included in quarterly payments?
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