2021 Estimated Taxes Paid in 2022

[allen_pierce-com]

Hello.  I've been retired for the past 2 years.  Some of my current income comes from sale of employee stock options, and for that income my prior employer withholds federal and state taxes as the income is earned.  I also pay estimated taxes throughout the year to cover the shortfall in my employer withholding for the options sales as well as for investment income earned throughout the year.

In the TurboTax section for entering estimated tax payments, it asks the question "How much of your 2021 estimated state taxes did you pay in 2022?"  I have no idea what this question means or what I should enter there.

[SantinoD]

If you didn't make 2021 estimated state tax payments in 2022. you can skip that section. Any area in that section that doesn't apply to you, you can skip and move forward. 

[SteamTrain · Accepted solution]

Just like Federal Quarterly estimated taxes....you can choose to make separate State Quarterly Estimated tax payments each year also.  These are not your withholding...these are separate payments you might have made to account for the taxes other income you get during the year, so you don't owe a TON of taxes at tax filing time.

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Such payments  are usually due the 15th of Apr, Jun, Sep, and then 15 Jan of the next year  (though few states use the 30th of the same month).   When making such Quarterly payments to the state, they become part of potential itemized deductions on the Federl tax return......however, if you made a 4th Quarter Estimated tax payment to your state for yoru 2021 state taxes...but made the payment during January of 2022, then that payment could not be used as a 2021 Federal income deduction, since the actual payment to the state did not occur during the 2021 calendar year.  BUT, since it was made during Jan of 2022, the $$ amount CAN be used as a part of state taxes paid during 2022 as Federal income deduction for 2022 Federal taxes.

So.... Did you pay a 4th quarter state estimated tax payment (for your 2021 STATE tax return) during January of 2022.  IF you didn't do that last January of 2022, then you leave that entry blank.

[allen_pierce-com]

Thanks. That’s helpful.