Estimated Tax Due Dates for 2026 (and 2025)
The four quarterly deadlines, the oddly-shaped periods they cover, and what it actually costs when you miss one.
Tax year 2026 deadlines
| Payment | Income earned | Due date | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026 | April 15, 2026 | Wednesday |
| Q2 | Apr 1 – May 31, 2026 | June 15, 2026 | Monday |
| Q3 | Jun 1 – Aug 31, 2026 | September 15, 2026 | Tuesday |
| Q4 | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 | Friday |
All four 2026 dates fall on business days — no weekend shifts this cycle. When a deadline does land on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. Federally declared disaster areas can get postponed deadlines; check IRS disaster relief announcements for your state.
Tax year 2025 deadlines (for returns being filed in 2026)
| Payment | Income earned | Due date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2025 | April 15, 2025 | |
| Q2 | Apr 1 – May 31, 2025 | June 16, 2025 | June 15 was a Sunday |
| Q3 | Jun 1 – Aug 31, 2025 | September 15, 2025 | |
| Q4 | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2025 | January 15, 2026 |
The trap in the calendar
Notice the periods: the second "quarter" covers only two months (April–May), and the fourth stretches across four. People who set a simple "every 3 months" reminder routinely miss June 15 — and June is the single most-missed deadline of the cycle. The math doesn't care about fairness: each missed installment starts its own penalty meter.
What actually happens when you miss one
- No letter arrives. Nothing happens visibly. The IRS bills you after you file — meanwhile the underpayment quietly accrues interest-style penalty at the current IRS rate (6–7% during 2026), day by day.
- Paying late still helps — a lot. The meter runs from the due date until the day you pay (or the following April 15 at the latest). A payment made one week late costs a few dollars; the same payment made ten months late costs roughly forty times more.
- You can't fix timing retroactively with an estimated payment — but extra withholding later in the year counts as if paid evenly across all four quarters. A December withholding boost can cure a June miss.
- The Q4 escape hatch: skip the January 15, 2027 payment penalty-free if you file your complete return and pay the full balance by February 1, 2027 (January 31 is a Sunday).
Already missed one? Get the exact damage and the "pay this much today to stop the meter" number: IRS underpayment penalty calculator →
Who needs to pay quarterly at all
Broadly: anyone who expects to owe $1,000 or more after withholding — typically freelancers, contractors, landlords, and investors without enough W-2 withholding to cover their full bill. If withholding plus credits will cover the safe-harbor amount, quarterly payments aren't required.