Does the estimated tax payment made in January 2019 count as part of 2019 or 2018 tax payment?

[andreamillersb]

For example, if $2000 was paid in Jan, can it be deducted from April tax owed?

[TomYoung · Accepted solution]

The typical pattern of estimated tax payments for a given "tax year" (e.g., 2018) is April, 2018, June, 2018, September, 2018, and January, 2019.  So the January, 2019 payment applies to the 2018 tax year liability.