Quarterly tax estimate calculator (2026)
Estimate your 2026 federal income tax and self-employment tax, and what to pay each quarter. Free, and it runs in your browser.
The calculator
How it works
The calculator follows the same steps as your federal return, simplified:
- Self-employment tax. 92.35% of your profit is taxed at 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security, up to the yearly limit after your wages, and 2.9% for Medicare. An extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies above $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly). See self-employment tax.
- Adjusted gross income. Your profit, wages and other income, minus half of your self-employment tax.
- Taxable income. Minus the standard deduction (or your itemized deductions, if bigger), and the 20% QBI deduction when your income is under the limit.
- Income tax from the 2026 brackets for your filing status.
- Quarterly payment. Your total tax minus withholding and what you've already paid, split over the payments left. The safe harbor line shows the smaller amount that generally avoids a penalty.
New to this? Start with Quarterly taxes for freelancers, explained simply.
The 2026 figures it uses
| Figure | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $16,100 | $32,200 | $24,150 |
| 10% bracket up to | $12,400 | $24,800 | $17,700 |
| 12% up to | $50,400 | $100,800 | $67,450 |
| 22% up to | $105,700 | $211,400 | $105,700 |
| 24% up to | $201,775 | $403,550 | $201,750 |
| 32% up to | $256,225 | $512,450 | $256,200 |
| 35% up to | $640,600 | $768,700 | $640,600 |
| QBI deduction income limit | $201,750 | $403,500 | $201,750 |
Income above the 35% line is taxed at 37%. The Social Security wage base for 2026 is $184,500. Sources: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and the Social Security Administration, checked October 29, 2026.
What it leaves out
- State and local taxes. Federal only.
- Credits, like the child tax credit, and newer deductions, like those for tips, overtime or seniors.
- Retirement contributions and self-employed health insurance, which lower your income. Subtract them from profit for a rough idea.
- The QBI deduction above the income limit, where extra rules apply. We leave it out there, so the estimate runs a little high rather than low.
- Capital gains and dividends, which have their own rates.
Want this worked out from your real books, every quarter? Kibble's Taxes screen estimates federal and state payments from your actual profit and reminds you 7 days before each due date. See Quarterly tax estimates.
Questions people ask
Does this calculator include state taxes?
No. It covers US federal income tax and self-employment tax only. Most states with an income tax have their own estimated payments, often on similar dates. Kibble tracks federal and state estimates together.
Is my information saved or sent anywhere?
No. The math runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else, and it is gone when you close the page.
Why is my estimate higher than 25 percent of my profit?
Self-employment tax alone is about 15.3 percent of most of your profit, before any income tax. Higher incomes also reach higher brackets. Deductions you have not entered, like retirement contributions or self-employed health insurance, would lower it.
What is the safe harbor amount?
It is the least you can pay during the year and generally avoid an underpayment penalty: 90 percent of this year's tax, or 100 percent of last year's (110 percent if last year's AGI was over $150,000). See quarterly estimated taxes.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is a simplified estimate for planning. Tax rules have fine print, and an accountant can tailor the numbers to you.
Still scratching your head?
Send us a note and a real person will get back to you.