IRS-Verified Deadlines · Updated March 2026
When Are Taxes Due? 2026 Federal Tax Deadlines
Federal filing deadlines, quarterly estimated tax due dates, extension dates, and 1099 e-file cutoffs. All confirmed for Tax Year 2026.
Key Dates at a Glance
Federal taxes are due April 15, 2026 for most individuals. Key 2026 deadlines for self-employed workers: Q1 estimated tax — April 15, Q2 — June 15, Q3 — September 15, Form 1040 — April 15 (extended to October 15 with Form 4868), and Q4 — January 15, 2027. S-Corp and Partnership returns are due March 16, 2026. See the full table below for all deadlines.
Add Tax Deadlines to Your Calendar
All Key Deadlines — Live Countdowns
Deadline
W-2 & 1099-NEC Furnishing Deadline
Jan 31, 2026 · Forms W-2 / 1099-NEC
Deadline
S-Corp & Partnership Returns Due
Mar 16, 2026 · Forms 1120S / 1065
Deadline
1099-NEC / 1099-MISC E-File Deadline
Mar 31, 2026 · Forms 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC
Deadline
Form 1040 & Q1 Estimated Tax Due
Apr 15, 2026 · Forms 1040 / 1040-ES / 4868
Deadline
Q3 Estimated Tax & S-Corp / Partnership Extensions
Sep 15, 2026 · Forms 1040-ES / 1120S / 1065
Calendar reminders are for convenience only. Always confirm official IRS deadlines before filing.
Missed an estimated payment? Use the Estimated Tax Penalty Calculator to estimate possible underpayment charges.
Key Takeaways
- Quarterly estimated taxes are due four times a year: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, 2027.
- Missing a quarterly payment doesn't cancel your filing — it triggers an underpayment interest charge for that period only.
- Filing Form 4868 by April 15 extends your filing deadline to October 15 — but taxes owed are still due April 15.
- S-Corp and Partnership returns (Form 1120S / 1065) are due March 16, 2026 — one month earlier than individual returns.
- Most states mirror federal deadlines, but verify your state's quarterly schedule separately — they often differ.
Federal Tax Deadlines 2026
| Date | Deadline | Form(s) | Who It Affects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15, 2026 | Q4 2025 Estimated Tax Due | 1040-ES | Self-employed, freelancers, anyone with unwithheld income in Q4 2025 |
| Jan 31, 2026 | W-2 & 1099-NEC Furnishing Deadline | W-2 / 1099-NEC | Employers must furnish W-2s to employees; payers must furnish 1099-NEC copies to recipients |
| Mar 16, 2026 | S-Corp & Partnership Returns Due | 1120S / 1065 | S-Corporations and Partnerships (March 15 falls on Sunday, moves to Mar 16) |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC E-File Deadline | 1099-NEC / 1099-MISC | Businesses and payers who filed information returns electronically |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Form 1040 Filing Deadline & Q1 Estimated Tax Due | 1040 / 1040-ES | All individual filers; self-employed for Q1 2026 estimated payment |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Extension Request Deadline | 4868 | Anyone who needs more time to file (does not extend time to pay) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | Q2 Estimated Tax Due | 1040-ES | Self-employed, freelancers, anyone with unwithheld income in Q2 2026 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Q3 Estimated Tax Due & S-Corp / Partnership Extensions | 1040-ES / 1120S / 1065 | Q3 estimated tax for self-employed; extended S-Corp and Partnership returns |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Individual Extension Deadline | 1040 | Filers who requested Form 4868 extension in April — final deadline to file |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Q4 2026 Estimated Tax Due | 1040-ES | Self-employed, freelancers, anyone with unwithheld income in Q4 2026 |
Quarterly Estimated Tax Due Dates
Who must pay quarterly estimated taxes? The IRS generally requires quarterly estimated tax payments from anyone who expects to owe at least $1,000 in federal taxes after withholding and credits for the year. This applies to freelancers, independent contractors, sole proprietors, partners, and S-Corp shareholders who receive income without employer withholding.
The IRS Safe Harbor Rule lets you avoid underpayment penalties by paying the smaller of: (1) 90% of your expected current-year tax liability, or (2) 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your prior-year adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000). The prior-year method is preferred by most self-employed workers because you know the exact figure — no guessing required.
How to pay: Estimated taxes can be paid online via IRS Direct Pay at irs.gov/payments/direct-pay (free, no registration), through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), by check with a Form 1040-ES voucher, or through the IRS2Go mobile app. EFTPS is recommended for business owners making multiple payments per year.
Quarterly periods and due dates for 2026:
Q1 (Jan 1 – Mar 31) → due April 15, 2026
Q2 (Apr 1 – May 31) → due June 15, 2026
Q3 (Jun 1 – Aug 31) → due September 15, 2026
Q4 (Sep 1 – Dec 31) → due January 15, 2027
Note: Q2 covers only two months (April–May) while Q3 covers three months (June–August). This uneven split is a quirk of the IRS quarterly schedule — not a mistake.
State Tax Deadlines
Most states with an income tax mirror the federal April 15 individual filing deadline, but quarterly estimated tax schedules vary significantly. Some states require four payments on the same federal schedule; others have different due dates, different thresholds, or no quarterly requirement at all.
Florida and Texas have no state personal income tax, so residents have no state income tax filing or quarterly payment obligations. See our state-specific refund tracker pages for more context.
California uses a different quarterly estimated tax schedule: Q1 due April 15, Q2 due June 15, Q3 due September 15, and Q4 due January 15, matching the federal quarterly schedule. The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) administers state income tax at ftb.ca.gov.
New York mirrors the federal quarterly schedule. The New York Department of Taxation and Finance administers state income tax at tax.ny.gov.
Always verify your state's current deadlines with your state tax authority before making payments. Deadlines occasionally shift when they fall on weekends or state holidays.
Filing a Tax Extension in 2026
Filing Form 4868 by April 15, 2026 automatically extends your Form 1040 filing deadline to October 15, 2026. The extension is automatic -- no reason required, no IRS approval process. It is free for all income levels and can be filed through IRS Free File, any tax software, or by paying your estimated tax via IRS Direct Pay with the extension designation (a Direct Pay payment with the extension tax type counts as a valid Form 4868 filing).
Critical rule: an extension extends only the time to file -- not the time to pay. Any taxes owed are still due April 15. Paying less than the full amount owed by April 15 triggers the failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month) and interest (federal short-term rate plus 3%) on the unpaid balance from April 15 forward. For the complete step-by-step process, see How to File a Tax Extension.
What If You Miss the April 15 Deadline?
If you owe taxes and missed April 15 without filing Form 4868, file your return as soon as possible. The failure-to-file penalty is 5% per month on unpaid tax (capped at 25%) -- ten times larger than the failure-to-pay penalty of 0.5% per month. Filing immediately stops the larger penalty from growing, even if you cannot pay the full balance. If you are owed a refund, there is no penalty for filing late; you have up to 3 years to claim it.
If your return is more than 60 days late, a minimum failure-to-file penalty applies: the lesser of $525 or 100% of the unpaid tax. First-Time Penalty Abatement (FTA) is available for taxpayers with a clean 3-year compliance history. For the complete recovery steps and abatement options, see Missed Tax Deadline: What to Do Next.
Self-Employed Filer Calendar
Self-employed workers face four quarterly estimated tax payments plus an annual return -- all on different schedules. The Self-Employed Tax Deadlines 2026 guide covers every date in one place: Q1-Q4 quarterly due dates, annual filing deadline, retirement contribution windows (SEP-IRA extends to Oct 15 with Form 4868; Traditional/Roth IRA does not extend past April 15), and Solo 401(k) employee deferral cutoffs (Dec 31 of the plan year).
Business Entity Filing Calendar
S corporations and partnerships (Form 1120-S / Form 1065) are due March 16, 2026 for calendar-year filers -- one month ahead of the individual deadline. A 6-month extension via Form 7004 moves the deadline to September 15. C corporations (Form 1120) are due April 15 and extend to October 15. For the complete business calendar including employment tax dates and the $255/shareholder/month late-filing penalty, see Business Tax Deadlines 2026.
Extension Underpayment Cost
If you filed Form 4868 but did not pay your full balance by April 15, interest (currently 6% annually for Q2 2026) and a 0.5%/month failure-to-pay penalty accrue on the unpaid amount from April 15 onward. Use the Tax Extension Underpayment Calculator to see the exact cost by your planned payment date.
Practitioner Note — LMN Tax Inc
"The single most common mistake we see among new freelancers is missing the Q1 estimated tax payment entirely. Because Q1 is due on the same day as the annual Form 1040 — April 15 — many clients focus on their prior-year return and forget the Q1 payment is also due that same day. Set a separate calendar reminder for April 15 that explicitly says 'Pay Q1 estimated taxes' — separate from your filing reminder."
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Help Meeting Your Deadlines?
LMN Tax Inc provides quarterly tax planning, estimated tax calculations, and filing support for self-employed workers and small businesses. Contact us through our contact page.