Key Takeaways

  • LLC members often must make estimated quarterly tax payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes after subtracting withholding and credits.
  • LLC quarterly taxes dates generally fall on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, though exact dates may shift for weekends and holidays.
  • Self-employed LLC members pay both income tax and self-employment tax, which includes Social Security and Medicare contributions.
  • LLCs with employees also have payroll tax filing and deposit deadlines, which differ from estimated tax due dates.
  • Proper tax planning, recordkeeping, and use of IRS Form 1040-ES can help avoid underpayment penalties.
  • Certain LLC structures (e.g., S corp or C corp election) may alter filing deadlines and payment requirements.

LLC quarterly taxes are required by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to be paid by any owners or members of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs).

Special Considerations for LLC Quarterly Taxes Dates

While most LLC members who expect to owe $1,000 or more after withholdings must make quarterly payments, certain nuances can impact when and how you pay:

  • Weekend and Holiday Adjustments: If a quarterly due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. For example, if September 15 falls on a Sunday, payments are due September 16.
  • State-Level Requirements: Some states follow the IRS schedule, while others have separate estimated tax deadlines. Always verify both federal and state calendars to avoid missed payments.
  • New LLCs and Seasonal Businesses: If your business starts mid-year or operates seasonally, your quarterly tax periods may be prorated, and you’ll only make payments for active quarters.
  • Change in Income During the Year: Large fluctuations in earnings can alter the required payment amounts. The IRS safe harbor rule allows you to avoid penalties if you pay at least 100% of the prior year’s tax (110% for higher incomes), even if you end up owing more.

Who is Required to File Quarterly Taxes?

You may be responsible for filing quarterly taxes if you are self-employed. 

Self-employed persons include:

  • Independent contractors
  • Sole proprietors
  • Members of partnerships
  • Members or owners of LLCs
  • Any business owners (including part-time)

If a self-employed person believes that not enough money is being withheld from their income to cover their taxes, they should pay quarterly taxes. 

The amount withheld according to your W-2 can be increased in order to make sure enough income is set aside for taxation. 

What are the Required Quarterly Taxes?

If you think you'll exceed $1,000 in owed taxes for the current year once you've subtracted withholdings and credits, and those withholdings and credits are expected to make up less than 90 percent of the return for the current year or 100 percent of the return for the previous year (covering the full year or 12 months), you should make quarterly tax payments for the current year. 

Quarterly taxes must be paid by the following due dates:

  • First quarter: April 15
  • Second quarter: June 15
  • Third Quarter: September 15
  • Fourth Quarter: January 15

These payment increments follow the "pay as you go" federal tax system. 

Federal income taxes, as well as self-employment taxes, should follow this system. If these payments are not made and deadlines are missed, penalties may ensue. Just making the April 15 deadline for your personal tax returns will not suffice when quarterly taxed are owed. 

Payroll taxes might require a different set of quarterly payments. 

An LLC with employees must withhold the appropriate taxes from the paychecks they send out. The taxes withheld from those checks have to be paid by a certain deadline if they meet a specified amount. 

Federal payroll also has a set of returns that have to be paid. Form 941 is a common tax return form that is required to be filed before 30 days after the end of a quarter month. The calendar quarters end on:

  • First quarter: April 30
  • Second quarter: July 31
  • Third Quarter: October 31
  • Fourth Quarter: January 31

Business entities without employees, like most sole proprietorships and partnerships, don't need to worry about payroll taxes and paperwork. 

Owners and members of corporations or LLCs (that have opted to be taxed as corporations) who fulfill any duties or services for the business have to be paid accordingly. So, the owner of an LLC may be required to write themselves a paycheck and follow the quarterly tax requirements for payroll. 

Annual Calendar of LLC Quarterly Taxes Dates

Here is the typical federal schedule for estimated tax payments (adjust for weekends/holidays):

  1. First Quarter: April 15 — Covers income earned January 1 to March 31.
  2. Second Quarter: June 15 — Covers April 1 to May 31.
  3. Third Quarter: September 15 — Covers June 1 to August 31.
  4. Fourth Quarter: January 15 (following year) — Covers September 1 to December 31.

Tip: These periods are not true calendar quarters; the IRS uses uneven intervals for estimated tax purposes.

For LLCs taxed as corporations, different quarterly payment rules may apply, and deadlines could shift. Review IRS Form 1120-W instructions if applicable.

What Taxes Do Self-Employed People Pay?

People who are self-employed will likely be required to pay quarterly taxes in addition to filing their annual tax returns. 

There are two different categories of quarterly taxes:

  • Self-employment taxes
    • Social Security taxes
    • Medicare taxes
  • Income taxes (business profits and other incomes)

During 2017, the tax percentage for that tax year for net profits or incomes as high as $127,200 was 15.3 percent (12.4 percent for Social Security taxes and 2.9 percent for Medicare taxes).

Deduct any expenses from the company's total revenue brought in (check which types of deduction your business might qualify for) to find your taxable income. So, if the business had a gross annual income of $120,000 but $45,000 of that qualified for deductions, the taxable income would be $75,000.

Small business owners should check the IRS website for guides and more information about the taxes they'll be held responsible for. 

Form 1040-ES provided by the IRS will help business owners work through the calculations for finding taxable income and quarterly payments required. Start by finding the company's taxable income, applying the appropriate percentages, and figuring out the total taxes due for the year. Then, divide by four to find your quarterly taxes due on each of the four due dates. 

Keep in mind throughout the year that any big changes in revenue or expenses with your company might change the taxes required. 

So, you'll want to be sure to reassess if an important client is lost and therefore income changes. You don't want to be paying higher quarterly taxes than is actually necessary. 

If the company gains a new, high-paying customer and this increases revenues, you'll want to make sure you're not skimping on quarterly payments, which could cause major issues down the road. 

Strategies to Calculate and Adjust Quarterly Payments

To accurately determine your LLC quarterly tax payments:

  • Estimate Annual Income Early: Use prior-year earnings as a baseline, then adjust as the year progresses.
  • Account for Deductions and Credits: Include eligible business expenses, home office deductions, and any available tax credits to reduce your taxable income.
  • Avoid Overpayment or Underpayment: Overpaying ties up your cash flow unnecessarily; underpaying may result in IRS penalties. Using the IRS Form 1040-ES worksheet can help balance accuracy with flexibility.
  • Adjust Mid-Year: If revenue changes significantly, recalculate and increase or decrease the next quarterly payment.

How Do I Make Quarterly Payments?

All quarterly tax payments should be submitted online using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System or by using the appropriate forms obtained through the IRS. 

Avoiding Penalties and Staying Compliant

Missing an LLC quarterly tax due date can result in:

  • Underpayment Penalties: The IRS may charge interest on the unpaid portion, calculated from the original due date until payment is received.
  • State Penalties: States may impose additional fines for late or insufficient estimated payments.
  • Cash Flow Disruption: Large lump-sum catch-up payments can strain business finances.

Prevention Tips:

  • Mark all LLC quarterly taxes dates in your business calendar with reminders.
  • Use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) for secure and trackable payments.
  • Maintain a separate tax savings account to set aside funds throughout the quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do all LLCs have to pay quarterly taxes?

No. LLCs only need to pay if they expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes after subtracting withholdings and credits.

2. What if I miss an LLC quarterly tax deadline?

You may owe penalties and interest. Paying as soon as possible and adjusting future payments can help reduce the impact.

3. Are LLC quarterly tax due dates the same every year?

The months stay consistent (April, June, September, January), but specific dates may shift if they fall on weekends or holidays.

4. Can LLC members avoid quarterly payments?

Yes, if their tax liability is under $1,000 for the year or they meet safe harbor payment thresholds.

5. Do state LLC quarterly taxes follow federal dates?

Some states align with the IRS schedule, while others have different due dates. Always check your state’s tax agency website.

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