Quarterly tax checklist for solo owners
The recurring checklist that keeps the IRS, your state, and your CPA happy — updated for the 2026 1099 rule change.
Informational only. This guide is general information for Pacific Northwest business owners and customers — not individualized legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules, fees, and rates change. Confirm details with the official sources listed below or with a licensed professional before acting.
Every quarter
Federal estimated tax payments are due four times a year — roughly mid-April, mid-June, mid-September, and mid-January of the following year. Exact dates shift for weekends and holidays, so confirm them on the current Form 1040-ES before you schedule payments.
- [ ] Federal estimated income tax (Form 1040-ES) — a common starting point is 25% of expected annual profit per quarter
- [ ] Self-employment tax is included in that estimate — 15.3% of net self-employment earnings (12.4% Social Security up to the annual wage base + 2.9% Medicare with no cap)
- [ ] State income tax estimate — Oregon and Idaho have state income tax; Washington does not
- [ ] State business tax return — WA B&O, Oregon Corporate Activity Tax if you're over the CAT threshold. Idaho has no gross receipts tax — Idaho businesses file income tax and, if they sell goods, sales tax
- [ ] Sales tax return if applicable (WA and ID have sales tax; Oregon has no statewide sales tax)
- [ ] Reconcile bank statements — categorize every transaction
- [ ] Mileage log updated
Annually
- [ ] 1099-NEC to contractors — the threshold changed. For payments made on or after January 1, 2026, the reporting threshold rose from $600 to $2,000 (a change made by the July 2025 federal tax law). Payments made in 2025 still follow the old $600 rule on the return you file in early 2026
- [ ] W-2s to employees by January 31
- [ ] LLC / corporation annual report to your state — Washington's annual report fee is $70 for profit entities including LLCs; confirm Oregon and Idaho amounts on each Secretary of State's fee page
- [ ] Insurance review — general liability, commercial auto, workers' comp
- [ ] Renew city and trade licenses
Rule of thumb: how much to set aside
Many solo PNW operators set aside roughly 30% of profit in a separate tax account, and lean higher if they're in Oregon (state income tax) or comfortably into six figures. This is a planning heuristic, not a calculation — your CPA's number beats this one.
Common questions
When are quarterly estimated taxes due?+
Federal estimated payments are generally due April 15, June 15, September 15 and January 15 of the following year. When a date lands on a weekend or holiday it shifts to the next business day.
What is the 1099-NEC threshold now?+
For payments made on or after January 1, 2026, the reporting threshold rose to $2,000 (up from $600). Payments made before that date still follow the old threshold.
How much is self-employment tax?+
15.3% on net self-employment earnings — 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare — with the Social Security portion capped at the annual wage base.
Local bookkeepers and tax pros
Browse verified Pacific Northwest businesses in these categories.