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Quarterly Estimated Taxes: Deadlines & Calculation for Freelancers
Who must pay quarterly estimated taxes, 2026 deadlines, safe harbor rules, and how to calculate payments.
July 9, 20267 min readBy MyWealthForge
Key Takeaways
- 1Owe $1,000+ at filing? You likely need quarterly payments.
- 2Deadlines: Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Jan 15.
- 3Safe harbor: pay 100% of prior year tax (110% if AGI $150k+).
- 4Underpayment penalty ~8% annually.
Self-employed and side-income earners must pay taxes as they earn — not just on April 15. Miss quarterly payments and the IRS charges penalties.
Estimate with our tax calculator.
How to Calculate
Estimate annual income. Subtract deductions. Apply tax rate. Divide by 4. Adjust quarterly as income changes.
Set aside 25–30% of freelance income in separate account.
Safe Harbor Rule
Pay 100% of last year's total tax in quarterly installments — no penalty even if you owe more.
See self-employment tax.
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