Quarterly tax calculator
For US freelancers and sole proprietors, tax year 2026. Covers federal income tax, self-employment tax, the QBI deduction and the safe-harbour minimum.
Set aside each quarter
—
Enter your business profit on line 1 to see what to set aside.
- Total federal tax
- —
- Self-employment tax
- —
- Effective rate
- —
- Top bracket
- —
Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How this is worked out
The calculator follows the order of a real federal return.
It starts with self-employment tax: 15.3% on 92.35% of your profit, made up of 12.4% Social Security (on earnings up to the $184,500 wage base for 2026) and 2.9% Medicare. Half of that tax is deducted from your income, along with anything you enter as above-the-line deductions. Then comes the standard deduction ($16,100 for a single filer in 2026) or your itemised deductions if they are larger. After that is the qualified business income deduction: 20% of your business profit, but never more than 20% of your taxable income before it. Income tax is charged on what is left using the 2026 brackets, and the self-employment tax is added back on top.
For a single filer with $80,000 of profit and no other income, that gives $11,304 of self-employment tax, $5,344 of income tax and $16,647 in total, which is 21% of profit. Spread evenly, that is $4,162 each quarter.
If you enter last year's total tax, the calculator also works out the safe harbour. That is the lesser of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's (110% if last year's AGI was over $150,000). If you paid $12,000 in total tax last year, $3,000 a quarter keeps you clear of any underpayment penalty, even though you will owe more when you file.
Withholding from a W-2 job and payments you have already made are taken off before the quarterly figure is worked out. State tax is not included. Most states run their own estimated payment system with separate rules.
Sources
Common questions
How much should I set aside for quarterly taxes?
It depends on your profit, filing status and other income. As a rough starting point many freelancers set aside 25–30% of profit, but the calculator works out the actual figure including self-employment tax and the QBI deduction.
What is the safe harbour for estimated taxes?
If you pay the lesser of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax — 110% if last year's AGI was over $150,000 — the IRS cannot charge an underpayment penalty, even if you owe more when you file.
Does this include state tax?
No. This calculator covers federal income tax and self-employment tax only. Most states run their own estimated payment system with separate rules and due dates.
Add this calculator to your site
Free for blogs, accountants and freelancer communities. Paste this into any page that accepts HTML. It stays up to date with each tax year automatically.
What people use next
Solo 401(k) calculator
How much can I contribute to a solo 401(k)?
S-corp breakeven
At what income is an S-corp worth it?
Home office deduction
Which home office method gives me a bigger deduction?
Quarterly Taxes for Freelancers: What to Pay and When
How estimated quarterly taxes work when you are self-employed: what you owe, the four due dates, and the safe-harbour rule that prevents IRS penalties.
The Estimated Tax Penalty Is Not a Fine. It's Interest.
The IRS underpayment penalty is interest on what you were short, charged from each quarter's due date. How it works and how to avoid it entirely.
Quarterly Tax Due Dates for 2026 (and Why Q2 Catches Everyone)
When are quarterly taxes due in 2026? The four estimated tax payment dates, why the periods are not equal lengths, and what actually happens if you miss one.
2026 Tax Brackets for the Self-Employed (and Why Your Bracket Is Lower Than You Think)
The 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction, and what they mean for freelancers: worked examples at $50k, $80k and $120k of profit.
No Tax on Tips for the Self-Employed: Who Qualifies and What It Really Saves
How no tax on tips works if you are self-employed: the $25,000 cap, who qualifies, the phase-out, and why self-employment tax still applies.
The QBI Deduction: Up to 20% Off, and Most Freelancers Get It Automatically
Section 199A can take 20% off your business income before tax. Below the threshold it is close to automatic — above it, the rules change sharply.
Schedule C, Line by Line, for People Who Have Never Filed One
Schedule C is where your freelance income becomes a tax number. Here is what each part does and the three lines that cause most of the trouble.
How to Actually Pay the IRS (Without a Cheque)
Direct Pay, EFTPS and card payments compared — what each costs, how long each takes to set up, and which one to use when the deadline is tomorrow.
Estimates based on published federal rules for tax year 2026. State and local tax is not included. This is general information, not advice about your situation.