Quarterly estimates and tax planning
No employer is withholding for you, so the IRS expects you to pay as you go. We recalculate each estimated payment from your year-to-date results, compare it with the safe-harbor amount and send you the exact figure and a pay link two weeks before each deadline.
Best for: 1099 earners and owners who take distributions instead of a paycheck.
How it works
Baseline
We start from last year's return and your current books to size this year's payments and your safe-harbor target.
Recalculate
Each quarter, the Estimate Engine updates federal and state estimates from your year-to-date numbers.
Heads-up
Two weeks before each due date, you get the exact amount and a pay link.
Confirm
Payment confirmations are saved to your Vault and reconciled on your return.
Why it matters
Underpayment penalties are figured quarter by quarter, so a big payment in April doesn't fix a missed one the year before. Guessing tends to go wrong in one of two ways: you underpay and owe penalties, or you overpay and lend the government money you could have used in your business.
Recalculating every quarter from real books, with safe harbor as the floor, keeps you protected without tying up more cash than you need to.
Which plans include it
Quarterly estimates are included on every plan — Essentials, Growth and Executive.
Compare plansCommon questions
- When are estimated payments due?
- Federal estimates are generally due around April 15, June 15, September 15 and January 15. When a date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.
- What is safe harbor?
- Paying enough during the year — generally 100% of last year's tax, or 110% if your prior-year AGI was over $150,000 — protects you from the federal underpayment penalty even if you owe more when you file.
- I have a W-2 job and side income. Do I need estimates?
- Sometimes adjusting your withholding is simpler. We look at both and recommend the one that fits.