Who needs to pay estimated taxes?
Estimated payments are common for the self-employed, freelancers, business owners, landlords and investors, or anyone with income that has no tax withheld.
- Federal: you generally need to pay if you expect to owe at least $1,000 for the year after subtracting withholding and refundable credits.
- Virginia: you need to pay if the Virginia tax you expect to owe, after withholding and credits, is more than $150.
2027 due dates
| Payment | Federal (Form 1040-ES) | Virginia (Form 760ES) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | April 15, 2027 | May 3, 2027 (May 1 is a Saturday) |
| 2nd | June 15, 2027 | June 15, 2027 |
| 3rd | September 15, 2027 | September 15, 2027 |
| 4th | January 18, 2028 | January 18, 2028 |
January 15, 2028 falls on a Saturday and January 17 is a federal holiday, so the fourth payment moves to the next business day. The last 2026 payment is due January 15, 2027.
How much to pay: the safe harbors
You can generally avoid a federal underpayment penalty if your withholding and estimated payments, paid on time, cover the smaller of:
- 90% of your tax for the current year, or
- 100% of your tax for the prior year (110% if your prior-year adjusted gross income was more than $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately).
Getting the amount right depends on your income, withholding and last year’s return. We work out the right amount for you.
Making the payments
We set up your federal and Virginia payment schedule and tell you exactly what to pay and when, so nothing is missed.
Not sure what to pay? We set a payment schedule based on your income so you don’t overpay or get hit with penalties. Tax planning.
General information, not tax advice for your situation. Dates are for calendar-year individual taxpayers and can change, for example after disaster relief. Last reviewed November 2026.