TaxStow.

Know what to set aside before the IRS does

Enter what you expect to earn and spend. Get a practical reserve for every invoice and four estimated payment amounts.

Your year

Best estimates are fine. Everything recalculates as you type.

2026
%

Leave at 0 if your state has no income tax

$

Everything you invoice, before expenses

$

Ordinary, deductible costs

$

From any job with a paycheck

$

Federal tax already taken out

$

SEP IRA or solo 401(k)

$

Self-employed health insurance

$

What you have already sent the IRS

$

Line for total tax on last year's return

$

Above $150,000 raises the safe harbor to 110%

Remaining quarterly payments

What you still owe, split across the 2 deadlines that have not passed.

Q1April 15, 2026 · passed$0
Q2June 15, 2026 · passed$0
Q3September 15, 2026$9,286
Q4January 15, 2027$9,286
Set aside22.6%
Still owed$18,572

How we reached your number

Start with profit. Business expenses are subtracted from gross freelance income before taxes are estimated.

Add self-employment tax. Social Security and Medicare are calculated on 92.35% of your freelance profit.

Estimate income tax. Your filing status, standard deduction, and federal brackets determine the federal portion.

Include your state. The state rate you enter is applied to freelance profit, then everything is divided across four payments.

Built for the way you work

Graphic designersFreelance and contract graphic designers: plan for self-employment tax, common ordinary business expenses, and quarterly estimates.PhotographersFreelance photographers: plan for self-employment tax, equipment and travel expenses, and quarterly estimated payments.WritersFreelance writers and copywriters: plan for self-employment tax, home office deductions, and quarterly estimated payments.Web developersFreelance web developers: plan for self-employment tax, equipment and hosting expenses, and quarterly estimated payments.VideographersFederal tax planning guidance for freelance and contract videographers: quarterly estimates, camera and edit-bay expenses, and recordkeeping basics.ConsultantsFederal tax planning guidance for independent consultants: quarterly estimated taxes, deductible business costs, and home-office recordkeeping.

Understand the estimate

How much should freelancers set aside for taxesA simple, adjustable framework — not a fixed percentage — for deciding how much of each freelance payment to hold back for taxes.Quarterly estimated taxes explained for first-timersA first-timer's walkthrough of what quarterly estimated taxes are, when they're due in 2026, and how to work out what to pay.What happens if you miss a quarterly paymentWhat actually happens — and doesn't happen — if you miss an estimated tax deadline, plus practical steps to catch up.The safe harbor rule, in plain EnglishA plain-English explanation of the safe harbor rule that can protect freelancers from an underpayment penalty, with a worked example.Schedule C line by lineSchedule C reports your self-employment profit or loss to the IRS. Here's what each part of the form is asking for and where planning decisions actually happen.Home office deduction: the two methods comparedThe home office deduction has two calculation methods with different recordkeeping burdens and different payoffs. Both require your workspace to meet the same use test.