PayoffLab
Self-Employed Tax Planner

1099 Quarterly Tax Estimator

Enter your year-to-date self-employment income and we'll calculate your federal income tax, self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare), estimated quarterly payment, and your total tax due for the year.

Your income

Enter your net self-employment income (revenue minus deductible business expenses).
quarterly breakdown
tax estimates

Self-employment tax (15.3%) is calculated automatically. See below for more context on each rate.

Calculating...

Understanding 1099 quarterly taxes

As a self-employed person, you're responsible for paying income tax throughout the year, not just at filing time. If you'll owe $1,000 or more, the IRS expects four equal quarterly payments. Miss them and you'll owe penalties and interest when you file.

What goes into each quarterly payment

Your payment covers three things: (1) federal income tax, (2) state income tax, and (3) self-employment tax. The first two depend on your tax bracket and state. The third—self-employment tax—is fixed at 15.3% of your net income and covers your Social Security and Medicare contributions (since you don't have an employer doing it for you).

Estimated vs. actual tax

These quarterly payments are estimates. At tax time, you'll true up with your actual return. If you overpaid, you get a refund; if you underpaid, you owe the difference. So it's okay if your actual income differs from what you guessed — the calculator shows you the right starting point.

How to estimate your federal rate

  • Single, $65,000 net income: roughly 24% combined federal + FICA. Adjust up if you're higher income or married filing separately, down if you're lower.
  • Use the IRS Form 1040 instructions or a tax professional for precision, but 20–30% is a safe ballpark for most self-employed earners.

State income tax

  • No state income tax: CA, FL, NV, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY — use 0%.
  • Low (2–5%): NV, OK, WA, CO, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, NM.
  • High (6–13%): CA, NY, OR, IA, VT, NJ.

Frequently asked questions

What if my income is uneven?

Enter your Q1, Q2, Q3 income separately and the calculator will show each quarter's payment. If Q4 is unknown, the tool uses year-to-date to estimate a quarterly amount you can apply to all remaining quarters.

Can I pay less if I'm low-income?

If you expect to owe under $1,000 total, you don't technically have to make quarterly payments — but it's still a good idea to set the money aside. File your return and pay what you owe in April.

Is this data private?

Yes. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

For educational and estimation purposes only; not tax advice. Results depend heavily on your actual tax filing status, deductions, and state. Consult a qualified tax professional or use official IRS resources before making payments.