I requested a payment plan just now when I submitted my taxes, but in my tax return documents I saw 1040 ES payment vouchers... what are these for? Why so many?

[nfarishta]

How do I know what I need to pay and when? Are the dates on these vouchers arbitrary?

[PeterM · Accepted solution]

The payment plan would be for current (or past) taxes due.

The 1040-ES payment vouchers would be for your 2017 estimated tax payments. If you’re at risk for an underpayment penalty next year, based on your 2016 information, Turbo Tax will automatically calculate estimated tax payments and prepare 1040-ES vouchers for you.The dates on those vouchers are not arbitrary, they are due each quarter and the due dates are printed on the vouchers. There should be four vouchers...one for each quarter.

Estimated taxes are highly recommended but not required.

[nfarishta]

So these are for taxes I would owe in 2017?  Basically to help me pay them as I go? They're not related to what I owe for 2016?

[PeterM]

That is correct. You couldn't have set up a payment plan to pay taxes on income you have not even earned yet. The vouchers are for 2017 estimated taxes.