The Q4 2026 estimated tax payment is due January 15, 2027
Quarterly estimated tax for 1099 freelancers — worked out from every payment you log
Work out your January 15, 2027 estimated tax payment from your own numbers: 2026 brackets, self-employment tax, QBI deduction, W-2 withholding and the 100%/110% safe harbor. Log or import every 1099 payment; amounts recompute each month. No account — data stays in your browser.
- You don't need to know your tax first. It computes your 2026 tax itself — 2026 brackets, 15.3% self-employment tax up to the $184,500 wage base, the 20% QBI deduction, your W-2 withholding — then pays the lower of 90% of it or your 100%/110% prior-year safe harbor.
- Log each client payment once. Type it or import a PayPal, Stripe, Upwork or bank CSV. The amount for every due date recomputes from the dates — including the annualized method that lowers early payments when income arrives late — and each client is checked against the $2,000 1099-NEC and $20,000 1099-K lines.
- Every month: import that month's payments and see the new amount for the next due date, what you have already paid, and the IRS penalty (7% a year) you would owe for any quarter you skipped.
- No account. Your numbers stay in this browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Free: the full calculator and up to 15 logged payments. Pro: $7.99/month or $69/year.
1Your 2026 numbers
Rough numbers are fine. Everything is saved in this browser as you type.
2Payment log — every client payment and expense
Log it once; section 1 uses the log's profit (plus your estimate for the rest of the year), the annualized method uses the dates, and section 3 groups it by client.
3By client — which 1099s to expect, and do they match?
2026 rules: a client paying you directly sends a 1099-NEC at $2,000 or more (was $600). Payment platforms send a 1099-K only above $20,000 AND 200 payments. Income with no form is still taxable. In January, type the amount on each 1099 you receive.
4Payments you made (federal and state)
5Regular vs annualized method (Form 2210 Schedule AI)
If most of your income came late in the year, the annualized method lets the early installments be smaller — and shrinks the penalty for them.
Free vs Pro
Free
- The full calculator: 2026 tax, safe harbor 100%/110%, your January 15 federal and state amounts
- Up to 15 logged payments and the by-client 1099 view
- All five languages, no account
Pro — $7.99/month or $69/year
- Unlimited payments + CSV import (PayPal, Stripe, Upwork, any bank) with duplicate detection — each month's file adds only what's new
- Annualized method (Schedule AI) recomputed from your dates, and the IRS penalty estimate for each quarter (2026 rates 7% / 6% / 7% / 7%)
- January 1099 check: the amount on each form vs your log, mismatches flagged
- Dated payment ledger (federal + state), calendar file with every due date, printable report, backup/restore across devices
Subscriptions renew until you cancel in your Whop account. After paying you get a licence key; the link on the thank-you page opens Pro here.
Questions
Who has to pay quarterly estimated tax?
If you expect to owe $1,000 or more for 2026 after withholding and credits, the IRS expects payments on April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027. You avoid the underpayment penalty by paying at least the smaller of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's (110% if last year's AGI was over $150,000, or $75,000 married filing separately).
Can I skip the January 15 payment?
Yes, if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay all the tax you owe with it. Otherwise pay the January amount shown.
Where does my data go?
Nowhere. It is kept in this browser's storage. The only request this page makes on its own is the licence check, which sends the key you typed.
What does it not cover?
Capital gains rates, the alternative minimum tax, the part of credits paid out beyond your tax, and current-year state tax calculations (the state amount is your prior-year state safe harbor, on your state's schedule; California uses 30/40/0/30%). If those apply, add them as "other income" or check with a tax professional.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is a calculator that uses the published 2026 IRS figures. When the IRS publishes the 2027 figures, they are added here.