Taxes
Estimated quarterly taxes for 1099 contractors: a simple guide
How quarterly estimated tax payments work, when they're due, how to calculate them, and what happens if you skip one.
By MileTracker · March 28, 2026 · 8 min read
If you're a 1099 contractor and expect to owe more than $1,000 in tax, the IRS expects you to make quarterly estimated payments. Here's how it works.
Due dates
- Q1 — April 15
- Q2 — June 15
- Q3 — September 15
- Q4 — January 15 of the following year
How to calculate
Estimate your full-year income, subtract deductions (including mileage!), apply your tax bracket and self-employment tax, divide by four. Or use last year's total tax as a safe-harbor.
Penalties for skipping
The IRS charges interest on underpayments. It's not catastrophic, but it's avoidable.
MileTracker detects every drive in the background, lets you classify business or personal in one tap, and exports an IRS-ready PDF and CSV at tax time. Download MileTracker free on the App Store.