Quarterly Tax Calculations · Self-Employed
Pay the right amount
each quarter — not
too much, not too late.
Estimated tax vouchers prepared from your actual income each quarter. Adjusted when your numbers shift. Explained plainly so you understand what you're paying and why.
What this service delivers
Quarterly tax estimates that reflect what you actually earned — not what you earned last year
Each quarter, your current-year income and expenses are reviewed. The estimated payment for that period is calculated from those actual figures and prepared as a payment voucher ready to submit. A brief written note accompanies each estimate, explaining what changed from the prior quarter and why the amount looks the way it does.
The result is a tax position that stays calibrated throughout the year — not one that was set in January and quietly drifted further from reality with each passing month.
Calculated four times a year
Each quarterly payment is calculated from that quarter's actual income — not carried from a single estimate made at the start of the year.
Ready-to-submit vouchers
Each estimate is prepared as a payment voucher — not just a number you need to translate yourself. The work is done; you submit and pay.
Written explanation with each estimate
A brief note explains the estimate — what changed from the prior quarter, what drove any difference in the amount, and whether anything warrants attention.
The difficulty with quarterly taxes
Self-employed income doesn't arrive in predictable amounts — but the tax calendar doesn't account for that
Estimated tax payments are due four times a year regardless of whether income was steady, slow, or higher than expected. Without automatic withholding, determining the right payment each quarter requires calculation — and that calculation should reflect what actually happened, not a rough figure set months earlier.
Most independent professionals handle this informally. They estimate from memory, use last year's number, or pay a round figure that feels close. That approach works until income shifts significantly in either direction — at which point year-end either produces an unexpected bill or confirms that payments ran considerably higher than necessary.
Using last year's figure as a proxy
A strong year followed by a quieter one — or the reverse — means prior-year payments are often the wrong starting point for current estimates.
Underpayment penalties discovered at filing
When quarterly payments fall short of what was owed, penalties apply — even when the full annual amount is eventually paid at filing time.
Overpaying when income slows mid-year
Income slows, but payments continue at the prior rate. Cash sits with the tax authority until filing, returned as a refund that took months to arrive.
Deadlines missed during busy periods
Quarterly deadlines arrive on a fixed schedule regardless of how demanding the workload is that month. Late payments carry their own consequences.
The approach
Each quarter reviewed on its own terms, using what actually happened
This service works from the actual income and expense figures for the current quarter — not last year's data, not projections from January. Each period is reviewed, the appropriate calculation is made, and the voucher is prepared. When the numbers change meaningfully between quarters, the estimate reflects that change rather than carrying a stale figure forward.
The calculation
Income and expenses reviewed together
Estimated taxes for self-employed individuals depend on both income earned and deductible expenses incurred. Looking at only one side of that equation produces an inaccurate figure. Both are reviewed each quarter so the estimate reflects a complete picture, not a partial one.
Self-employment tax, which applies in addition to income tax, is calculated separately and factored into the quarterly estimate — a cost that regularly surprises those who are newly self-employed.
The adjustment
When income shifts, the estimate shifts with it
A strong quarter followed by a quieter one changes what you owe. If the estimate isn't adjusted, the quieter quarter's payment either falls short of what's due or runs higher than it needs to.
Reviewing each quarter independently keeps the payment level appropriate to what actually happened — not to what was expected at the start of the year.
The voucher
Ready to submit — not just a number
The output of each quarterly calculation is a prepared payment voucher — the actual document used to submit an estimated tax payment. This removes the step of translating a calculated figure into a submission-ready format.
Deadlines are noted so payments arrive on time. Missing a quarterly deadline is avoidable when the preparation happens ahead of it.
The explanation
A written note with every estimate
Each quarterly estimate comes with a brief written note. It explains the amount, what changed from the prior quarter, and what drove any difference. If income was significantly different, the note explains how that affected the calculation.
The goal is that you understand what you're paying and why — not just that you receive a figure to submit.
What the quarterly rhythm looks like
Four times a year — your records in, a prepared voucher and clear note out
Ahead of each quarterly deadline, you share your income records and any relevant expense documentation from that period. The review and calculation are completed, the voucher is prepared, and a written note accompanies it explaining the estimate.
The process is consistent each quarter so there's no uncertainty about what's needed or when. A reminder is sent ahead of each deadline so the submission doesn't catch you by surprise during a busy stretch.
If anything in the note raises a question — the calculation, what changed, or what to expect next quarter — ask it. Responses use plain language and arrive promptly.
Q1
January – March
First quarter income reviewed. Voucher prepared for the April estimated payment deadline. Written note included.
Q2
April – June
Second quarter figures reviewed. Estimate adjusted from Q1 results. Voucher prepared for June deadline with explanation of any changes.
Q3
July – September
Third quarter income and expenses reviewed. Voucher prepared for September deadline. Mid-year position noted in the accompanying note.
Q4
October – December
Final quarter reviewed. Voucher prepared for January deadline. Full-year estimate noted so year-end holds no surprises.
Pricing
A flat quarterly rate for each period's calculations
Quarterly Tax Calculations
$150
per quarter
Start a ConversationBilled quarterly. No annual commitment required.
What's included each quarter:
Review of current-quarter income and expenses
Actual figures from the current period — not projections from the prior year.
Estimated tax payment calculation
Income tax and self-employment tax both factored in for an accurate quarterly figure.
Ready-to-submit payment voucher
Prepared in submission-ready format — no additional steps required before paying.
Written note explaining the estimate
A brief explanation of the amount, what changed from the prior quarter, and why.
Deadline reminder before each payment
A reminder sent before each quarterly due date so nothing is missed in a demanding period.
Why quarterly adjustments matter
The gap between a fixed estimate and a recalculated one compounds over time
An estimate set once at the start of the year begins from an assumption — that income will follow the prior year's pattern. The further the current year diverges from that pattern, the less accurate the estimate becomes. After four quarters of divergence, the year-end gap can be substantial.
Recalculating each quarter limits that drift. A quarterly review catches a strong period before three more quarters of underpayment accumulate. It catches a slow period before three more quarters of overpayment occur. The correction happens in the current period rather than at year-end when the full amount is already owed.
4×
Reviews per year
Each quarter reviewed independently from actual figures — not from a projection made in January.
Both
Taxes calculated
Income tax and self-employment tax both factored in — neither omitted from the quarterly figure.
Written
Explanation included
Each estimate accompanied by a note in plain language — not just a figure with no context.
On time
Every deadline
Reminders sent before each quarterly due date. Preparation finishes ahead of submission, not the day before.
Our commitment
Calculations done carefully, explained clearly, delivered on time
Each quarterly estimate is prepared with care from the figures provided. The accompanying note is written to be understood by someone without an accounting background — the figure and the reasoning behind it, in language that doesn't require translation.
If something in an estimate looks unexpected, raising it is welcomed. An explanation of how the figure was reached is available, and if a recalculation is warranted, it's done without friction.
An initial conversation about whether this service suits your situation is available without any commitment. Share a few details about your self-employment income and what you're currently doing for estimated payments — a straightforward response will explain how Foldmark's quarterly service fits.
Calculations from actual figures
Each estimate uses current-year income and expense data — not assumptions carried from a prior period.
Delivered ahead of each deadline
Estimates are prepared and delivered with enough time to review before the submission date.
Questions answered in plain language
If the estimate or the note raises a question, a clear response comes back — no accounting jargon to parse.
Conversation before any commitment
Whether the quarterly service makes sense for your situation is worth discussing before any arrangement is made.
Getting started
From first message to first quarterly estimate
The process starts with a brief description of your situation — how your self-employment income is structured, roughly what it looks like, and what you're currently doing for estimated payments. A response explains how the quarterly service works for your position and what the first period would involve.
01
Describe your income situation
A few sentences about your self-employment work and what your current estimated tax arrangement looks like, if you have one.
02
Receive an explanation of the service
How the quarterly calculation process would work for your specific situation — what to share, when, and what comes back.
03
First quarterly estimate prepared
If you'd like to proceed, the next quarterly period's income and expenses are reviewed and the estimate is prepared ahead of the upcoming deadline.
Ready to talk
Get your quarterly estimates handled properly
Send a brief note about your self-employment work and what your current estimated payment situation looks like. A clear response will explain how the quarterly service applies to your situation.
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