Taxes are unavoidable, and if you don’t plan ahead of time, your annual tax liability can be very unpredictable. If you’re like most taxpayers, working on a salary basis, you will not be subject to estimated taxes. Even if you have additional sources of income, such as interest and dividends, the income tax deducted from your paycheck covers your entire tax bill. However, if you are in the estimated tax bracket, you must make all of your payments on time.
Tips and tricks to ease your tax process
At times, the amounts are uncertain, and you are in too much of a hurry to calculate the taxes. Your best resort can be the estimated tax payment calculator during these challenging times. This is an online tool/software that helps taxpayers fulfill their tax liabilities in the most efficient way possible.
But before you get started, you must know the estimated taxes.
What do you mean by estimated tax payments?
If you’re self-employed, you’ll usually be required to pay your taxes in four installments rather than one paying taxes in one go. Because you’re estimating your income and paying taxes on that amount, it’s called “estimated taxes.”
Here are a few more tips that will help you understand these taxes in a better manner:
Annualized Method:
You would pay the estimated tax in four equal quarterly installments if your income is consistent throughout the year and any withholding does not cover you. If you get most of your money later in the year, you should use the annualized income method and file Form D-2210 along. You can use the annualized income method on the basis of the actual percentage of income received.
Take the excellent advantage of D-2210.
You should only fill out Form D-2210 if it is in your best interests. if your income is consistent throughout the year, there is no need to calculate the underpayment penalty; however, if most of your income is received late in the year, in that case, you will benefit from filling out Form D-2210 using the annualized income method.
Understand when the taxes are due:
Taxes are due as soon as income is received. An individual who earns a significant amount of money should pay tax on it as soon as it is made rather than deferring filing their tax return until April of the following year. There will not be any penalty if these required estimated payments are made on time and the total amount owed at the end of the year is less than $100
With the tips mentioned above, you will better understand your estimated taxes. Now, when you achieve a better experience, it is time to know about the payments and methods:
How to make estimated tax payments.
Payments for estimated taxes can be made in a variety of ways. You can get a head start on estimated tax payments for the following year by using an overpayment on a previous year’s tax return.
Rather than receiving a refund, you can defer all or part of your overpayment to the first quarter of the following year’s tax liability.
If you use the estimated tax payments calculator to calculate your quarterly payments and print quarterly payment vouchers, all you have to do now is mail the voucher to the IRS with your check or money order by the due date. Electronic Funds Withdraw is another simple way to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Quarterly payments are automatically deducted from your bank account using this method. This can be done in TaxAct.
The IRS also takes credit and debit card payments over the phone and irs.gov. You must also know that using a debit or credit card will incur an additional convenience fee from your bank.
However, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System is probably the simplest way to make quarterly estimated tax payments (EFTPS). This is an entirely free online payment system. If you want to use EFTPS, plan ahead of time because you can’t set it up or use it on the last day.
Estimating the taxable income:
If you’re having trouble with this calculation, you can use the IRS’s 1040-ES 2021 Estimated Tax Worksheet to help you out. “It’s lengthy, but it includes instructions and a form that you can use to estimate how much you’ll owe accurately
You might have gotten a raise or landed a better-paying job in the current year. To figure out how much tax you are due to the changed income, you must first determine your taxable income. Subtract exemptions or deductions from your gross income.
Then, to see how much you owe in taxes, look up your tax bracket. The marginal rates for 2021 are. After calculating your total tax liability, subtract it from your estimated tax bill for the year.
Use a tax calculator or software to assist you.
Entering your income and other information into an online tax software is another efficient way to determine your tax liability.
The following are some of the potential advantages and disadvantages of using a calculator or tax software:
Pros
- You don’t need a pen and paper to do the math.
- Certain tax documents may be automatically entered into the tax software.
- Tax software may use a simple question-and-answer format to guide you through the process.
- When you’re ready to file your tax return, click here.
Should You Request an Extension of Time to Pay Taxes?
Because the penalty for failing to file is so high, filing for an extension is a good idea if you think you’ll miss the April deadline.
You don’t have to do everything yourself, especially if you’re dealing with a complicated tax situation. A tax professional or an estimated tax payment calculator can help you with your extension and filing process if you’re unsure about it.
The Bottom line:
Filing taxes can be a tricky task at times. But the IRS will not consider the faults and the reasons behind them. Therefore, to avoid minute discrepancies and repercussions, one must rely on efficient tools and other sources of help.