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Estimated Quarterly Tax Calculator
Self-employed or 1099? See your total federal tax — including self-employment tax — and exactly what to set aside every quarter. 2026 estimate.
What to pay
How quarterly estimated taxes work
When no one withholds tax from your income, the IRS expects you to pre-pay it four times a year. Your bill has two parts: self-employment tax (15.3% on your net profit) and regular income tax on top.
- Self-employment tax — both halves of Social Security + Medicare. Half is deductible against your income tax.
- Income tax — your profit (minus the SE deduction and standard deduction) taxed at your bracket.
- Divide by four — pay the total, minus any withholding, across the four quarters.
The certain way to avoid a penalty is the safe harbor: pay 100% (or 110% for higher earners) of last year's total tax, no matter what you end up owing.