Stop Overpaying Your
Quarterly Taxes
Simple Estimates calculates the quarterly estimated tax payment you actually owe the IRS — in about 5 minutes. Most self-employed people pay more than the law requires.
Federal Quarterly Estimated Payments
Q2 2026 Estimate
Payment Method Comparison
Recommended Payment
Using Annualized Income method
Due: Jun 15, 2026
If you're self-employed or run a business, the IRS expects tax payments four times a year — not just in April. This site tells you whether that's you, and exactly how much to send.
Answer a few quick questions about your income
See if you owe quarterly payments — and roughly how much
Pay the right amount by the deadline — no more, no less
Do you need to pay quarterly taxes?
Find out in about a minute — free, no signup to check.
What's your filing status?
Two ways to pay. The IRS lets you choose.
You can anchor your quarterly payments to last year's tax, or to what you're actually earning this year. Which one is cheaper depends on your situation — most people never check.
Safe Harbor
Pay a fixed share of last year's tax, split evenly. Fully predictable, and it protects you from underpayment penalties even if this year turns out bigger. Usually the cheaper choice when your income is growing.
Annualized Income
Pay based on what you've actually earned so far, period by period. Usually the cheaper choice when income is down from last year or arrives unevenly — slow start, big Q4, seasonal work.
One of these is the cheaper legal payment for your situation. This site computes both on your real numbers, every quarter, and shows you which.
Next IRS deadline
Sep 15 — 55 days away
Miss it or underpay, and the IRS charges interest on the shortfall from that day forward — it compounds until you catch up.
Check What I Owe — Free →Free tax calculators
Each one answers a single question fast — no signup.
Self-Employment Tax
Social Security + Medicare on your 1099 income.
Open calculator →Income Tax
Federal tax and effective rate by bracket.
Open calculator →Capital Gains Tax
Long-term gains at the 0/15/20% rates.
Open calculator →Safe Harbor vs. Annualized
Compare both IRS methods side by side.
Open calculator →IRS Publication 505
Built on the official safe-harbor and annualized methods
Built by CPAs
Designed and verified by a licensed CPA
Your data stays yours
Never sold, never shared with third parties
Free to use
Full personal calculator — no credit card
Common questions
Do I need to pay quarterly estimated taxes? +
If you expect to owe the IRS $1,000 or more beyond what's withheld from any paychecks, generally yes. That covers most self-employed people, contractors, business owners, landlords, and investors. The quick check above tells you where you stand in about a minute.
What happens if I skip a payment? +
The IRS charges interest on the shortfall starting the day the payment was due, and it compounds until you catch up. It's not a one-time fine — it grows every day you wait.
How is this free? +
The personal calculator is genuinely free — one full calculation (plus revisions) per quarter, for one taxpayer. Paid plans exist for accountants who manage many clients. The calculation engine is identical on every tier.
Does this replace my accountant? +
No — it does one job precisely: quarterly estimated payments using IRS Publication 505 methods. You can send your results to your accountant to double-check, and many users do exactly that.
What is the safe harbor method? +
Pay 100% of last year's tax (110% for higher earners) in equal on-time installments and you're protected from underpayment penalties even if your income jumps this year. The annualized method instead follows your actual income through the year — often a lower payment when income is uneven. The IRS allows either; this site computes both and shows the cheaper one.
Don't guess what you owe the IRS.
Check your number free — it takes about a minute.
Check What I Owe — Free →