Quarterly Tax Calculator

How to use

1. Enter expected gross income from freelancing, contracting, or gig work.
2. Set the percent of income consumed by deductible business expenses.
3. Pick single or married filing status.
4. Read the estimated annual total and the per-quarter amount.
5. Re-run the estimate whenever income shifts materially and adjust the next voucher.

General information only — not medical, financial or legal advice. Figures cross-checked against public official sources (IRS / HMRC / NHS / WHO guidance) as of 2026-08. For decisions that matter, confirm with a licensed professional in your country.

About this tool

Turn an expected year of self-employment into four payment-sized chunks. Enter expected income, the share going to business expenses, and filing status; the model nets profit, adds the 15.3 percent SE tax, and applies 2026 federal brackets to profit after half the SE tax. Defaults of 85,000 dollars with 20 percent expenses net 68,000 dollars, producing 9,608.09 dollars of SE tax and 5,413.01 dollars of federal income tax, 15,021.11 dollars total, or 3,755.28 per quarter. Vouchers are due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. The estimate covers federal SE and income tax only; state estimates, the annualized income method, and prior-year safe harbor math live outside this tool. Federal-only 2026 estimate: SE tax without the wage-base cap, no state estimates, no penalty computation; dates assume a calendar year; verify with official sources; not tax advice.The safe harbor rule caps penalty exposure: paying 100 percent of last year's total tax, or 110 percent once prior-year AGI passes 150,000 dollars, counts as timely no matter what this year earns. Income rarely lands evenly, so revisit the numbers after each quarter. The IRS charges underpayment interest quarterly on any gap, computed per installment period rather than as one annual fine.

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