Quarterly Tax Payments
Contents
The quarterly tax payments are mandatory if your income isn’t subject to withholding. The quarterly federal estimated tax payments can be made online through Direct Pay, IRS-authorized payment processors, and EFTPS.
Under federal law, all taxpayers must pay taxes gradually during the course of the tax year. If the income you earn isn’t subject to withholding, you must estimate tax you owe for that quarter and pay the IRS.
Here is how you can pay taxes online through each payment method mentioned above.
Direct Pay
Direct Pay helps taxpayers to pay taxes electronically using their bank accounts. Click here to open Direct Pay.
Select Reason for Payment as Estimated Tax and apply payment to Form 1040ES. The tax year should automatically be selected.
Continue and fill out the identity verification form. Enter what’s asked on the tool as shown on your federal income tax return and proceed to the payment page. From there on, you can make the payment. You will be given a confirmation number on Direct Pay. You can use this number to track your payment.
Payment Processors (for credit card and debit cards)
The only way to pay taxes with your debit or credit card is through payment processors that are authorized by the IRS. Each of the payment processors has its own rate of fees. The fees are as follows.
Official Payments
$2.00 fixed debit card fee for payments under $1,000
$3.95 fixed debit card fee for payments over $1,000
1.99% fee for credit cards with a minimum fee of $2.50
Pay 1040
$2.58 fixed fee for debit cards
1.96% fee for credit cards with a minimum fee of $2.69
PayUSAtax
$2.55 fixed fee for debit cards
1.96% fee for credit cards with a minimum fee of $2.69
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)
The EFTPS is the most common and perhaps the convenient way to pay quarterly federal estimated taxes. You can pay taxes through the EFTPS at any time you want. This web-based payment platform is completely free to use for all taxpayers.
Since you will be paying directly to the U.S. Department of Treasury, your payment will reach the IRS screens instantly. To pay taxes through EFTPS, you must enroll first. Click here to sign up on EFTPS and pay not just quarterly taxes but all kinds of taxes.
