The due dates for Form 1040-ES are April 15, June 15, September 15 of the current year and January 15 of the following year. While the deadlines to file and pay certain taxes have been extended to May 17, the first quarter estimated tax payments for individuals are still due on April 15.
You file estimated taxes if you have income that does have withholding.
The rule is that you must pay your taxes as you go. If at filing time, you have not paid enough income taxes through withholding or quarterly estimated payments, you may have to pay a penalty for underpayment.
To determine whether you need to make quarterly estimates, answer these questions:
- Do you expect to owe less than $1,000 in taxes for the tax year after subtracting your federal income tax withholding from the total amount of tax you expect to owe this year? If so, you're safe—you don't need to make estimated tax payments.
- Do you expect your federal income tax withholding (plus any estimated taxes paid on time) to amount to at least 90 percent of the total tax that you will owe for this tax year? If so, then you're in the clear, and you don't need to make estimated tax payments.
- Do you expect that your income tax withholding will be at least 100 percent of the total tax on your previous year's return? Or, if your adjusted gross income (Form 1040, line 8b) on your tax return was over $150,000 ($75,000 if you're married and file separately), do you expect that your income tax withholding will be at least 110 percent of the total tax you owed for the previous year? If so, then you're not required to make estimated tax payments.
If you answered "no" to all of these questions, you must make estimated tax payments using Form 1040-ES. To avoid a penalty, your total tax payments (estimated taxes plus withholding) during the year must satisfy one of the requirements we just covered.
When you prepare your 2020 return, we'll automatically calculate your 2021 estimated tax payments and prepare 1040-ES vouchers if we think you may be at risk for an underpayment penalty next year.
TurboTax can help you to calculate the amount of estimated taxes that you will owe.
- With your tax return open, search for 1040-es (be sure to include the dash) and select the Jump to link.
- Answer No to the question Do you want to change your W-4 withholdings for 2021?
- Answer the questions about things like your 2021 filing status, income, and deductions.
- Eventually, you'll come to the Print Vouchers? screen. Answer Yes.
Your vouchers will print with your return. You can also make estimated payment by mail with the vouchers or online or using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. (EFTPS) is the easiest way for individuals as well as businesses to pay federal taxes.
