For self-employed folks, is filing 1040-ES required when making quarterly estimated tax payments?

The 1040-ES isn't actually something you "file" - it's a worksheet to help you calculate your estimated tax payments. The form includes payment vouchers if you choose to mail in your payments, but you don't need to submit the worksheet itself to the IRS. You have several options for making quarterly estimated payments without dealing with the physical 1040-ES form: 1) Use IRS Direct Pay (irs.gov/payments/direct-pay) 2) Use EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) 3) Pay through the IRS2Go app 4) Pay with a credit/debit card through an approved payment processor When paying online, you'll just select "estimated tax" as the payment type and the appropriate tax year and quarter. The system will generate a confirmation number - save that as proof of payment. No need to mail anything or use a paid service just for your quarterly payments.

I struggled with this exact issue last year! Used to waste money on TurboTax quarterly until I discovered https://taxr.ai - it helped me understand I don't actually need to "file" the 1040-ES at all. The tool analyzed my payment history and explained that the form is just a worksheet to calculate what you owe, not something you submit to the IRS. The site has a really helpful section specifically for self-employed people that breaks down the estimated tax process step by step. I just use IRS Direct Pay now and save the confirmation emails as proof. Been doing this for 3 quarters and haven't had any issues. The system even keeps track of your payment history so you can reference it later.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it after struggling with my estimated payments. Can confirm it's actually really useful! I uploaded my 1099s and previous year's return, and it showed me I was using the wrong calculation method for my quarterly payments. The site explained I could use the "annualized income" method since my income is irregular throughout the year, instead of paying equal installments. This alone saved me from making unnecessarily large payments in my slower quarters. They also have templates for tracking business expenses that integrate with the quarterly payment calculator. Definitely worth checking out if you're self-employed.

If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to confirm anything about your estimated tax payments, try https://claimyr.com - they got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I was totally confused about a missing quarterly payment. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS directly about a payment that wasn't showing up in their system despite my bank showing the withdrawal. Their callback system kept saying they were at capacity. Claimyr navigated the phone system and got me in the queue, then called me when an agent was actually ready. The agent confirmed my payment was received but had been applied to the wrong quarter, and fixed it while I was on the call.

I'm eating crow here... I tried Claimyr after posting my skeptical comment. Got through to the IRS in 27 minutes after trying unsuccessfully for THREE DAYS on my own. The agent confirmed I've been doing my quarterly payments correctly - just using Direct Pay without submitting any forms. She also helped me set up an online account so I can view my payment history anytime. For those wondering about the original question: The agent specifically told me the 1040-ES is NOT something you're required to submit. It's just a worksheet and optional payment voucher. If you pay online, there's no form to file at all. This has been driving me crazy for years so I'm glad to have official confirmation!

One thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure you're paying enough throughout the year! The IRS expects you to pay at least 90% of this year's taxes or 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your AGI was over $150,000). I learned this the hard way and got hit with an underpayment penalty my first year freelancing. Now I always pay at least 100% of my previous year's tax divided into four payments to be safe. You can always get a refund if you overpay, but those penalties are annoying.

Does anyone know if the payment deadlines are always April 15, June 15, Sept 15, and Jan 15? Or do they change every year? I missed the second quarter deadline last year because I thought it would be July 15 (three months after April 15).

After 5 years of self-employment, here's my system: I just calculate my estimated quarterly payment using the 1040-ES worksheet once at the beginning of the year. Then I set calendar reminders for each payment deadline and use IRS Direct Pay. I keep a simple spreadsheet with payment confirmation numbers and amounts. Never had any issues with this approach, and I've never needed to submit any actual forms for my quarterly payments. Just make sure you select the correct tax year and quarter when making payments online!

Thanks for all the helpful responses everyone! As someone who just started freelancing this year, this thread has been incredibly valuable. I was definitely overthinking the 1040-ES requirement - it sounds like I can just use the IRS Direct Pay system without worrying about submitting any forms. One follow-up question: If I'm using the safe harbor method (paying 100% of last year's tax liability), do I still need to use the 1040-ES worksheet to calculate my payments, or can I just take last year's total tax and divide by 4? My tax situation is pretty straightforward - just freelance income with standard business expenses. Also, does anyone know if there's a minimum income threshold where estimated payments become required? I've seen conflicting info about whether you need to pay if you'll owe less than $1,000.

Great question! I went through this same confusion when I started freelancing. The 1040-ES form is just a worksheet - you don't actually "file" it with the IRS. It's designed to help you calculate how much to pay each quarter. Here's what I learned: You can absolutely make your quarterly payments online without any paperwork. I use IRS Direct Pay (irs.gov/payments/direct-pay) - it's free, secure, and you just need your SSN and bank account info. When you make the payment, you'll select "Form 1040ES" as the form type and choose which quarter you're paying for. The key is keeping good records. Save your confirmation numbers and consider setting up an online account with the IRS so you can track your payment history. I keep a simple note in my phone with the confirmation numbers and dates - that's all the "filing" you really need for quarterly payments. Don't stress about not having a printer or avoiding tax prep services for this. The online payment system is actually much more convenient than mailing vouchers anyway!