Missed a quarterly payment? Here's what the penalty might cost.
Plug in your income, what you paid in estimated tax, and we compare it to the 90% safe harbor — the usual threshold to avoid an underpayment penalty.
Tax and payroll data last updated: July 2026. Sources & methodology
Your numbers
Total of all four quarterly payments combined.
Shortfall vs 90% safe harbor: $2,360.
- Estimated annual tax
- $15,956
- 90% safe harbor target
- $14,360
- Total estimated payments
- $12,000
- Per-quarter target
- $3,989
Simplified safe-harbor estimate using 90% of current-year tax. Actual IRS Form 2210 uses quarterly due dates and prior-year lookback. Penalty rate is approximate — not a filing number.
How this is calculated
Freelancers who expect to owe $1,000+ must pay estimated tax in four installments. Pay at least 90% of your current-year liability (or 100% of last year's, if lower) by the January deadline and the IRS generally skips the penalty.
This tool estimates your full-year tax, checks your payments against the 90% safe harbor, and applies an approximate penalty rate to the shortfall. Real Form 2210 uses exact quarterly due dates and days late — use this for planning, not filing.