When to File Quarterly Tax Payments—Deadlines & Other Important Dates

As a freelancer, you’re expected to withhold and pay your own taxes on a quarterly basis, but when are quarterly taxes due?

When should I file my quarterly tax payments?

Think of your quarterly tax payments as a way to keep up with your taxes throughout the year. In addition to filing a tax return and settling up any remaining balance with the IRS by April 15, you manage your taxes owed every three months.

You are expected to file your quarterly taxes in April, June, September, and January each year. The January deadline is for the prior year, so estimated taxes filed in January of 2020 would be for income made in the last quarter of 2019.

What are the estimated tax payment deadlines for 2020?

In 2020, the quarterly tax due dates fall on April 15, June 15, and September 15 of 2020, and January 15 of 2021. None of those dates fall on a weekend or holiday, so there will be no delays in the deadlines unless otherwise stated.

To file your quarterly tax payments, use Form 1040-ES and fill out the section that corresponds to the quarter you’re filing.

What happens if I don’t submit my quarterly tax payment on time?

So long as your payments are submitted or postmarked by the due date, they will be considered on time. However, if you miss a deadline, penalties can begin to add up. For a closer look at what to do if you miss the estimated tax payment due date, check out our blog post on late quarterly payments for freelancers.

Now that you know when estimated taxes are due for 2020, it’s time to wrap up 2019 by filing your tax return—just sign up or log in with 1040.com for smart, simple tax filing. We’ll see you there!