How do you calculate estimated tax liability?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Published Mar 24, 2026
To calculate your estimated taxes, you will add up your total tax liability for the year—including self-employment tax, income tax, and any other taxes—and divide that number by four.
What is total estimated tax liability?
Tax liability is the total amount of tax debt owed by an individual, corporation, or other entity to a taxing authority like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In other words, it is the total amount of tax you’re responsible for paying to the taxman.
How to calculate estimated taxes. To calculate your estimated taxes, you will add up your total tax liability for the year—including self-employment tax, income tax, and any other taxes—and divide that number by four.
How to calculate your estimated taxes for 2020?
This new number is Stephanie’s “adjusted gross income.” Then, she subtracts the standard deduction for single tax payers in 2020, which is $12,550. Stephanie can also deduct 50% of her self-employment tax of $12,716.59 (calculated below). She can deduct $6,358. So her total estimated taxable income is $56,092.
How to estimate your federal tax liability for 2019?
To figure out if you are withholding enough federal taxes, follow these steps to estimate your tax liability for 2019: Review last year’s tax return. Estimate tax liability. Determine how much has been withheld so far. Subtract the withheld taxes from your projected tax bill. Divide the amount you still owe by your remaining pay periods.
What is the standard deduction for the 2020 tax year?
This standard deduction applies to the 2020 tax year, the return filed in 2021. Standard deductions tend to change annually to keep pace with inflation. For the 2021 tax year, the standard deduction for singles is $12,550. 7 Based on the tax brackets for 2020 for a single person, we can calculate Joe’s estimated income tax: 8
Can you change your tax liability without estimating it?
Without estimating your tax liability (see below), changing your withholding is like shooting a target while blindfolded. This is especially true in a year when there are tax law changes, even if you don’t expect any changes in your personal life.