IRS Publication 505 (2026): Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax

You don’t have to make estimated tax payments until you have income on which you will owe income tax. If you have income subject to estimated tax during the first payment period, you must make your first payment by the due date for the first payment period. You have several options when paying estimated taxes. You can: Apply an overpayment from the previous tax year, Pay all your estimated tax by the due date of your first payment, or Pay it in installments. If you choose to pay in installments, make your first payment by the due date for the first payment period. Make your remaining installment payments by the due dates for the later periods. To avoid any estimated tax penalties, all installments must be paid by their due date and for the required amount. No income subject to estimated tax during first period. If you don’t have income subject to estimated tax until a later payment period, you must make your first payment by the due date for that period. You can pay your entire estimated tax by the due date for that period or you can pay it in installments by the due date for that period and the due dates for the remaining periods. Table 2-1 shows the general due dates for making installment payments when the due date does not fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. Table 2-1. General Due Dates for Estimated Tax Installment Payments If you first have income on which you must pay estimated tax: Make a payment by:* Make later installments by:* Before April 1 April 15 June 15 Sept. 15 Jan. 15 next year April 1–May 31 June 15 Sept. 15 Jan. 15 next year June 1–Aug. 31 Sept. 15 Jan. 15 next year After Aug. 31 Jan. 15 next year (None) * See January payment and Saturday, Sunday, holiday rule , earlier. How much to pay to avoid penalty. To determine how much you should pay by each payment due date, see How To Figure Each Payment , later. Farming and Fishing If at least two-thirds of your gross income for 2025 or 2026 is from farming or fishing, you have only one payment due date for your 2026 estimated tax: January 15, 2027. The due dates for the first three payment periods, discussed under When To Pay Estimated Tax , earlier, don’t apply to you. If you file your 2026 Form 1040 or 1040-SR by March 1, 2027, and pay all the tax you owe at that time, you don’t need to make an estimated tax payment. Fiscal year. If at least two-thirds of your gross income for 2025 or 2026 is from farming or fishing but your tax year does not start on January 1, you can either: Pay all your estimated tax by the 15th day after the end of your tax year, or File your return and pay all the tax you owe by the 1st day of the 3rd month after the end of your tax year. How To Figure Each Payment After you have figured your total estimated tax, figure how much you must pay by the due date of each payment period. You should pay enough by each due date to avoid a penalty for that period. If you don’t pay enough during any payment period, you may be charged a penalty even if you are due a refund when you file your tax return. The penalty is discussed in the Instructions for Form 2210. Regular Installment Method