Filing quarterly means to send in estimated payments to cover the self employment tax since you don't have withholding taken out like if you were an employee on a W2. There isn't a tax return to file. You still file all your self employment on your personal 1040 tax return.
You send in quarterly estimated payments to cover the income tax and self employment tax (FICA). The Self Employment tax (Scheduled SE) is automatically generated if a person has $400 or more of net profit from self-employment. You pay 15.3% SE tax on 92.35% of your Net Profit (If it is greater than $400). The 15.3% self employed SE Tax is to pay both the employer part and employee part of Social Security and Medicare.
You must make quarterly estimated tax payments for the current tax year if both of the following apply:
- 1. You expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax for the current tax year, after subtracting your withholding and credits.
- 2. You expect your withholding and credits to be less than the smaller of:
90% of the tax to be shown on your current year’s tax return, or
100% of the tax shown on your prior year’s tax return. (Your prior year tax return must cover all 12 months.)
To prepare estimates for next year you start with your current return, (if you can't get back into your return try this, On the Tax Timeline page you have to select Add A State to get back into your return). But be careful not to change anything on your real return.
Go to Federal Taxes or Personal (Home&Business version)
Other Tax Situations
Other Tax Forms
Form W-4 and Estimated Taxes - Click the Start or Update button
Say No to W4. When you get to the W4 and Estimated Taxes section, say you want to adjust your income to go though all the screens.
