2026 federal estimated taxes

[Roberto99]

I'm using Turbo Tax Desktop version. Where can I manually override/enter my 2026 federal estimated tax payment amounts rather than accept the calculated payment totals?

[DoninGA]

To create Form 1040-ES -

Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home & Business)

Click on Other Tax Situations

Under Other Tax Forms

On W-4 and estimated taxes, click on the start button

[Roberto99]

Thank you for the reply. I did do that but I want to modify the payments rather than accept what was calculated.

[DoninGA]

@Roberto99 When you accessed the Estimated tax section did you go through the screens to Add 2026 Wages, 2026 Self-employment income, Investment and Other Income gains and losses, 2026 Adjustments, 2026 Net Investment Income, 2026 Itemized deductions, etc.?

[SteamTrain]

Heck...if you go to the IRS's DirectPay website to pay them, the forms are immaterial and you pay whatever you think you need to.  The IRS only sees those forms if you actually mail them in with your payment.

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Direct Pay with bank account | Internal Revenue Service

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Other:

If you are using the "Desktop" software, you can:

switch to Forms Mode

.....open the "Est Tax Options" worksheet

..........and mess with it as much as you want...even enter your own payment amounts to print out.

(Not available for "Online" software users)

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

@Roberto99   I'm working on mine too.  You can go to Forms and open the Est Tax Options worksheet and play around with that.  I just made my prefilled 1040ES without any amount on them.

For the Desktop program. I finally got it to work to print prefilled 1040ES slips without an amount.
Go to Forms
Open the Est Tax Options worksheet from the left column

Try to make Amount of Estimated Taxes to pay blank. At the top I was able to select prepare estimates based on 90% and that changed it to zero estimates

I left the Round My Payments Up box not checked
Then on Prepare Estimated Tax Payment Vouchers - check "Even if the amount due is less than 1,000."
For the Schedule you might have to check Payment number 1.
Print Estimated Tax Vouchers - check YES

Then you have to hit the QuickZoom button at the bottom to open each payment separately to print.

I made a screenshot on my Win 11 computer I'll attach here.  Hope this isn't confusing.

[Roberto99]

Yes. I got to where I needed to get to...Thank you!

[Roberto99]

I got to where I needed to get to...Very helpful. Thank you!

[VolvoGirl]

Update.  The very next day on 3/16 I got my prefilled estimates in the mail from the IRS so I don't need to use the blank amount ones from Turbo Tax.