Quarterly Tax Estimator

Estimate your US self-employment and federal income tax for each quarter. Enter your projected annual income and deductions to get quarterly payment amounts and IRS due dates.

Income

Projected Annual Gross Income ($): Total freelance / self-employment revenue before expenses.

Other Taxable Income ($): W-2 wages, interest, dividends, rental income, etc.

Deductions

Business Expenses ($): Software, equipment, home office, travel, etc.

Retirement Contributions ($): SEP-IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA contributions.

Self-Employed Health Insurance ($): Premiums paid for yourself and family.

Filing Status:

Tax Year:

Annual Tax Summary

SE Tax

-

Federal Income Tax

-

Total Annual Tax

-

Effective Rate

-

Tax Breakdown

Gross Self-Employment Income:	-
- Business Expenses:	-
= Net Self-Employment Income:	-

SE Tax (15.3% on 92.35%):	-
- Deductible Half of SE Tax:	-
- Health Insurance Deduction:	-
- Retirement Contributions:	-
- Standard Deduction:	-
= Federal Taxable Income:	-

Federal Income Tax:	-
Total Tax Owed:	-

Tax Bracket

Quarterly Amount

Pay this amount each quarter:

-

Payment Schedule

IRS Form 1040-ES quarterly due dates. If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

Quarter	Income Period	Due Date	Amount Due	Status

Note: If you expect to owe less than $1,000 in taxes after withholding, you generally do not need to make estimated payments.

How It Works

Step 1 - Self-Employment Tax

SE tax = Net SE Income × 0.9235 × 15.3%. The IRS allows you to deduct the employer-equivalent half (7.65%) from your adjusted gross income.

Step 2 - Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

AGI = Gross income - Business expenses - Half of SE tax - Health insurance premiums - Retirement contributions + Other income.

Step 3 - Federal Taxable Income

Taxable income = AGI - Standard deduction. Federal income tax is then calculated using progressive 2025 tax brackets.

Step 4 - Quarterly Payments

Total tax (SE + federal income tax) ÷ 4 = each quarterly payment. The IRS generally requires payments if you owe $1,000 or more.

Common Deductions

Home office - Dedicated workspace deduction
Software & tools - Professional subscriptions
Equipment - Computer, monitors, peripherals
Vehicle - Mileage for business travel
Education - Courses and professional development
Marketing - Website hosting, ads, business cards
Professional services - Accountant, lawyer fees

Important Notes

This is an estimate only. Consult a tax professional for advice.
SE tax rate is 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare).
Social Security tax only applies up to the wage base limit ($176,100 in 2025).
Underpayment penalties may apply if you pay too little each quarter.
Safe harbor: pay 100% of prior year tax (110% if AGI > $150k).
State income taxes are not included in this estimate.

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