According to the IRS, you don’t have to make estimated tax payments if you’re a U.S. citizen or resident alien who owed no taxes for the previous full tax year. And you probably don’t have to pay estimated taxes unless you have untaxed income. When figuring your estimated tax how to calculate quarterly taxes for the current year, it may be helpful to use your income, deductions, and credits for the prior year as a starting point. You can use the worksheet in Form 1040-ES to figure your estimated tax. You need to estimate the amount of income you expect to earn for the year.

This applies whether they paid through withholding or through estimated tax payments. A penalty may also apply for late estimated tax payments even if someone is due a refund when they file their tax return. Filing quarterly taxes requires that you use Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals.

Getting ahead of your quarterly tax deadlines

The IRS is waiving the estimated tax penalty for many taxpayers whose 2018 federal income tax withholding and estimated tax payments fell short of their total tax liability for the year. The usual percentage threshold is 90 percent to avoid a penalty. If you think that you will owe money when you file your next year's taxes, one easy way to get a jump on paying your bill is to apply your tax refund to your next year's taxes. If you won't have federal income tax withheld from wages, or if you have other income and your withholding will not be enough to cover your tax bill, you probably need to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Having all or part of your overpayment applied to your estimated taxes is a relatively painless way to take care of at least some of what you owe for coming year.

Businesses that file as a corporation generally need to make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe $500 or more in tax for the current year. If you meet these IRS minimums, then you’ll likely have to file estimated quarterly taxes. It’s a good idea to create an “estimated taxes” bank account to hold funds for estimated tax payments.

Estimated Taxes: How to Determine What to Pay and When

Still, it also carries specific financial and tax requirements such as determining what kind of taxes you must pay, the amounts due based on income level and profession, and making timely quarterly payments. If you need more certainty regarding your quarterly tax payments, seek the guidance of a tax professional. Quarterly taxes, also referred to as estimated taxes, are a type of taxation you must pay in advance of the annual tax return. They work on a pay-as-you-go basis, meaning you pay them throughout the year. During each quarter, applicable taxpayers pay a portion of their expected annual income tax.