Quarterly Estimated Taxes in Texas (2026)

Federal 1040-ES dates (every state)

If you expect to owe at least $1,000 of federal tax, the IRS expects four estimated payments for income earned in 2026. The quarters are not equal: Q2 is only April–May; Q4 is four months.

2027 federal dates (April 15, June 16*, September 15, January 18, 2028*) are on the deadlines hub. This page does not invent 2027 income-tax brackets. *Weekend/holiday shifts; confirm with the IRS.

Texas does not want personal estimated income tax

Texas has no personal income tax on wages or freelance profit. There is no Texas 1040-ES equivalent for a sole proprietor’s Schedule C. Your quarterly calendar is the federal one: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 (next business day if the date falls on a weekend or federal holiday).

What Texas can levy is franchise (margin) tax on certain taxable entities above a revenue threshold. That is an entity filing with the Comptroller, not a personal estimated income-tax voucher, and it does not apply to a sole proprietor with no entity. Do not fold a guessed “Texas rate” into the quarterly calculator’s state % field — leave it at 0.

No-income-tax does not mean no tax. Property tax and sales tax fund the state. They do not change the IRS $1,000 estimated-tax rule or the 15.3% SE tax on 92.35% of profit. For a $80,000 Schedule C profit the federal SE line is still $11,304 — the same as in California — you just skip the state income-tax add-on.

Agency: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise / margin tax only). Source note: No Texas personal income tax on wages or Schedule C profit.

Worked set-aside: single filer, QBI on, Texas

Texas has no personal income tax, so the state column is $0. Leave the quarterly calculator’s state rate at 0. You still send four federal installments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more to the IRS. Federal income tax uses the 2026 single brackets, standard deduction $16,100, and the simple QBI path (lesser of 20% of QBI and 20% of taxable income before the deduction) — the same simple path as the quarterly tax calculator.

*After standard deduction and simple QBI. State column uses STATE_RATES_2026 (no income tax) on profit after SE-half. Locals, AMT, and NIIT omitted. Not tax advice.

Worked example at $80,000

• Federal SE tax: $11,304 (15.3% × 92.35% of profit; wage base $184,500)
• Profit after deductible half of SE tax: $74,348
• Simple QBI deduction used: $11,650
• Federal income tax: $5,344
• Texas income tax (model): $0
• Four equal federal+state planning checks: about $4,162 each (split the check: IRS Direct Pay vs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise / margin tax only))

Safe harbor is federal-only until you read the state instructions: 90% / 100% / 110%. Lumpy income: Form 2210 annualized method.

Frequently asked questions