estimated taxes worksheet

[razor2307]

On the Estimated Taxes worksheet that can be used for the next tax year, there is no entry for payment number 4.  Payments or withholdings can be made after payment number 3 which is 9/15.  If a withholding is made on lets say 10/2/2025, where is the best place to enter that on the worksheet?

[guywong]

The reason the Enter Payments You've Already Made screen only asks for  Payments 1, 2, & 3 is that TT will subtract those three payments from the total 2025 ES taxes it calculated to arrive at Payment 4, due Jan 15, 2026.

Withholding is generally considered being paid evenly throughout the year unless you tell the IRS otherwise on Form 2210, 2024 Form 2210.  IRS knows the exact date of when each quarterly ES payment was made.

When you wrote, "If a withholding is made on lets say 10/2/2025", did you actually mean "withholding", if so, enter that on the first screen under "Form W-4 and estimated taxes", Adjust How Much Tax You Pay and answer Yes.

If you meant to say ES taxes paid on 10/2/2025, then I would include that in Payment 3 for this purpose.  However, since the ES were not paid evenly throughout the year before the due date, you will probably be charged an underpayment penalty for 2025, unless you use the annualize method to calculate your penalties.

[razor2307]

The words are tricky here for sure. I have been withdrawing money from an IRA account and the bank allows you to “withhold” taxes.  So I did not mean a payroll withholding.  I have chosen to use your second suggestion of loading those amounts in payment 3.  I think turbo tax should create another entry line for payments  after 9/15 but made before 1/15.  You answered my question. 

[guywong]

From the IRS standpoint, there's no difference between payroll tax withholding and withholding from an IRA withdrawal, or withholding from bank savings accounts, or withholding from social security checks.  All withholdings are generally considered being withheld evenly throughout the year.

So at this juncture, with April 15th behind us, the best way to make up for tax payment shortfall is via withholding.