Tax Pit Stop

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How to pay quarterly taxes online, step by step

The IRS has a free way to pay from your bank account, called Direct Pay. It takes about five minutes, and you don’t need an account.

Updated October 10, 2026 · Sources

Before you start

Have your bank’s routing number and your account number ready. You also need the details from your last tax return, so the IRS can check it’s you.

Know how much you’re paying. Tax Pit Stop’s free calculator, or the app, works that out.

The steps

Go to irs.gov/directpay and choose Make a Payment.

For the reason, pick Estimated Tax. For the form, pick 1040ES. For the year, pick 2026, the year the money is earned in.

Check your name and address against your last return, then enter your bank details and the amount.

Pick a date. You can set it ahead, up to a year out, so it goes on the due date.

Afterward

Save the confirmation number. It’s your proof of payment. Many drivers screenshot it.

When you file, the payments you made show up as tax already paid.

When to pay

These are the four due dates for 2026. A payment can go in any time before its date:

  1. April 15, 2026For pay from January 1 to March 31
  2. June 15, 2026For pay from April 1 to May 31
  3. September 15, 2026For pay from June 1 to August 31
  4. January 15, 2027For pay from September 1 to December 31

Other ways to pay

You can also pay through an IRS Online Account, or by card. Card payments go through other companies and charge a fee. Direct Pay from a bank account is free.

The figures here are for the 2026 tax year, from IRS documents. Tax rules change from year to year.

Work out your own number

The free calculator shows how much of each payout to set aside for your year, with the math. No sign-up.

Open the calculator

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