How to Actually Pay Your Quarterly Taxes

You have your number. Here's how to send it to the IRS. It takes about 5 minutes.

When to Pay

The IRS has four quarterly deadlines each year:

Q1: April 15 — covers January through March
Q2: June 15 — covers April through May
Q3: September 15 — covers June through August
Q4: January 15 (next year) — covers September through December

If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.

How to Pay the IRS (Federal)

IRS Direct Pay — Recommended

Free. Instant confirmation. No enrollment required.

Go to irs.gov/directpay
Select "Estimated Tax" as the reason for payment
Select "1040-ES" as the form type
Choose the tax year your payment applies to
Enter your bank account and routing number
Confirm and submit — you'll get a confirmation number immediately

Save your confirmation number. The IRS won't mail you a receipt.

EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System)

Best if you plan to pay every quarter. Schedule payments in advance. Requires one-time enrollment.

Enroll at eftps.gov — you'll get a PIN by mail in 5–7 business days
Log in and create your payment profile (bank account info)
Schedule your payment — you can set them up to 365 days ahead
Save your confirmation number after each payment

EFTPS lets you schedule all four quarterly payments at once. Set it up in January and you're done for the year.

Pay by Mail

Send a check with a 1040-ES voucher.

Download Form 1040-ES from irs.gov/forms
Fill out the payment voucher (name, Social Security number, address, payment amount)
Make your check payable to "United States Treasury" — not "IRS"
Mail it to the address on the voucher for your state

Allow at least 2 weeks for processing. If you're close to the deadline, use Direct Pay instead.

How to Pay Your State

If your state has an income tax, you may need to make a separate quarterly estimated payment to your state.

Good news — [State] has no state income tax. You only need to pay the IRS.

We're building [State]'s tax calculator now. In the meantime, search "[State] estimated tax payment" to find your state's payment portal. Most state tax websites accept online payments.

What Happens If You're Late

The IRS charges an underpayment penalty — interest on what you underpaid, calculated daily. It's not catastrophic, but it adds up over four quarters.

The easiest way to avoid it: pay on time, or use the safe harbor rule. If you paid at least 100% of last year's total tax (110% if your AGI exceeded $150K), you're penalty-free — even if this year's estimate is off.