Free Tool · Tax Management
Quarterly Estimated Tax Estimator
As a 1099 worker, you pay taxes yourself — four times per year. This calculator shows your exact quarterly payment amounts so you're never caught short before an IRS deadline.
Net income after business expenses (not gross platform earnings).
IRS rate: $0.70/mile (2025)
How quarterly estimated taxes work for 1099 workers
When you work as an employee, your employer withholds federal income tax and FICA taxes from every paycheck. As a 1099 worker — DoorDash driver, freelancer, independent contractor — nobody withholds for you. You're responsible for estimating your annual tax liability and sending the IRS four payments per year.
Miss a payment or underpay by more than the safe-harbor threshold and the IRS charges a quarterly underpayment penalty on top of what you owe. The safe harbor: pay at least 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your prior-year AGI exceeded $150,000) or 90% of this year's expected liability.
Self-employment tax explained
The biggest surprise for new gig workers: self-employment tax of 15.3%. This covers both the employer (7.65%) and employee (7.65%) portions of Social Security and Medicare. Employees only pay the employee half — their employer pays the other half. As a 1099 worker, you pay both. It's calculated on 92.35% of your net SE income, and you can deduct half of it from your adjusted gross income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs to pay quarterly estimated taxes?
You must pay quarterly estimated taxes if you expect to owe at least $1,000 in federal taxes and your withholding won't cover your liability. This applies to all 1099 gig workers including DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart drivers.
When are the 2026 quarterly tax due dates?
Q1: April 15, 2026 · Q2: June 16, 2026 · Q3: September 15, 2026 · Q4: January 15, 2027.
What is self-employment tax?
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of your net SE income. It covers both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare. You can deduct half of SE tax from your gross income, which reduces your federal income tax.
Does this calculator include state taxes?
No — this covers federal SE tax and federal income tax only. Most states require separate quarterly payments. Check your state tax authority for state-specific rates and deadlines.
How does UnifyOne help with quarterly taxes?
UnifyOne tracks your income across all connected gig platforms in real time and generates quarterly payment alerts before each deadline. Your current tax position is always visible in the dashboard — not just at year end.
Never miss a quarterly payment
UnifyOne monitors your income across every platform and sends quarterly tax reminders before each deadline. Free to start.
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