Guide · 8 min read · free tool
Quarterly Estimated Tax for US Freelancers: The Four Dates That Matter
Sep 26, 2026 · Zelpura Editorial · All guides
US freelancers do not have tax withheld. Nobody deducts anything, nobody files anything on your behalf, and the money in your account is not yours — a slice of it belongs to the IRS and probably to your state too. Then a quarterly deadline arrives, and if you missed it you owe a penalty for the privilege of paying late. This estimator turns a frightening abstraction into a number you can put aside.
Enter your 1099 income for the period, your business expenses, your federal rate and your state rate. The calculator applies the self-employment tax on net earnings, subtracts the deductible half of it, applies your rates to what remains, and returns the quarterly payment. It runs entirely in your browser — your income never leaves your machine.
Worked example. $6,000 of 1099 income, $900 of expenses. Net earnings: $5,100. Self-employment tax at 15.3% is $780, and the deductible half is $390, leaving $4,710 of adjusted income. At a 22% federal rate that is $1,036; at a 5% state rate, $236. Quarterly payment: about $1,272 plus the SE tax already counted. Set aside roughly 21% of gross and the quarter is covered.
Self-employment tax is the part freelancers forget. It is Social Security and Medicare combined, 15.3% on net earnings up to the wage base, and it applies on top of income tax. A freelancer who budgets only for income tax is short by thousands a year. The calculator includes it, and it deducts the employer half, because that deduction is real and people miss it constantly.
The four dates are fixed. Q1 covers January to March and is due 15 April. Q2 covers April and May and is due 15 June. Q3 covers June to August and is due 15 September. Q4 covers September to December and is due 15 January of the following year. Note that Q2 is only two months long — that is not a typo, and it catches people out every year.
Use a separate account. The single most effective habit is to move a fixed percentage of every payment into a savings account the moment it lands. Twenty-five to thirty percent of gross covers most freelancers with modest expenses. When the deadline arrives the money is already there, and you never have to decide between paying the IRS and paying rent.
Safe-harbour rules can save you a penalty. If you pay at least 90% of the current year's tax, or 100% of last year's tax (110% if your adjusted gross income exceeds $150,000), through withholding and timely estimated payments, the underpayment penalty does not apply. Last year's tax is a known number, which makes it the easier target for anyone with variable income.
Expenses reduce the base, so track them properly. Home office, a portion of utilities and internet, software subscriptions, equipment, mileage, professional development and a share of your phone are all deductible if they are ordinary and necessary. The calculator takes your expense total as input, so its accuracy depends on your bookkeeping — which is the real work.
State tax is not optional. Nine states have no income tax, but the rest do, and several have their own estimated-payment schedules with different thresholds. Enter your state rate even if it is small; a 5% state rate on $50,000 of net income is $2,500 a year, which is a real number.
Re-run this estimator every quarter with your actual figures, and reconcile against your previous year's return in January. If your effective rate is drifting upward, either raise your set-aside percentage or find the expenses you are not claiming. And keep the receipts — the calculator gives you the number, but only your records defend it.
Frequently asked questions
When are US quarterly estimated tax payments due?
Q1 (Jan-Mar) due 15 April, Q2 (Apr-May) due 15 June, Q3 (Jun-Aug) due 15 September, Q4 (Sep-Dec) due 15 January. Q2 covers only two months.
What percentage should a freelancer set aside for tax?
25-30% of gross income covers most US freelancers with ordinary expenses. If your income is high or your expenses are low, 30-35% is safer. The estimator gives you the exact figure for your numbers.
Do freelancers pay self-employment tax on top of income tax?
Yes. Self-employment tax is 15.3% on net earnings (Social Security and Medicare) and applies in addition to federal and state income tax. You can deduct the employer-equivalent half.
How do I avoid the underpayment penalty?
Pay at least 90% of the current year's tax, or 100% of last year's tax (110% if AGI exceeds $150,000), through withholding and timely quarterly payments. Using last year's known figure is the simplest safe harbour.
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