Form 1040-ES
Also: Form 1040-ES, 1040-ES, estimated tax vouchers
The IRS form used to compute and submit federal estimated tax payments. Provides vouchers for each quarterly deadline and a worksheet to project annual tax liability.
Form 1040-ES is the IRS form that accompanies quarterly estimated tax payments. It contains a worksheet that projects annual income, deductions, and credits to estimate total tax, a safe-harbor comparison against the prior year, and four payment vouchers for the April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 deadlines. Most filers submit payments electronically via IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS and skip the paper vouchers entirely, but the 1040-ES worksheet remains the reference tool for computing the quarterly amount.
Example: a senior engineer expects $900,000 in 2025 income including $350,000 of RSU vests. She completes the 1040-ES worksheet, projects total federal tax of $290,000, subtracts $240,000 of expected withholding, and plans four $12,500 quarterly payments through IRS Direct Pay to cover the $50,000 gap.
Common mistake: treating the 1040-ES payment as a deposit rather than a filing. It is a federal tax payment, and once made cannot be refunded before year-end without a corresponding adjustment on the return.
Form 1040-ES matters at the start of every year for high earners, after any large equity event, and when moving between states that affect withholding coverage.