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each period, your estimated tax paid and withheld must be at least 25% of the estimate, even if your income is uneven,

So for example if 90% of taxes owed is $40,000, I would not be penalized making the following unequal payments?

  1. Q1 - $11,000
  2. Q2 - $11,543
  3. Q3 - $10,765
  4. Q4 - $10,000

Total: $43,308

 

But alternatively if I made the following unequal payments it would trigger a penalty because there is a payment less than $10,000 (25% of $40,000)?

 

  1. Q1 - $11,000
  2. Q2 - $9,900
  3. Q3 - $15,000
  4. Q4 - $10,000

Total: $45,900

 

Even though I paid more taxes in the second scenario than the first.