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Farmers and Fishermen: One Estimated Tax Payment Date

Checked October 17, 2026 · Educational summary

General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. We are not the IRS. Check IRS.gov or a qualified tax professional. Sources read on October 17, 2026. Dates and amounts after 2026 are expected. Examples use made-up numbers. This page contains no affiliate links.

Pub. 505 says that if at least two-thirds of your gross income for 2025 or 2026 is from farming or fishing, you have only one payment date for 2026 estimated tax: January 15, 2027 (a Friday). The April, June and September due dates don't apply. If you file your 2026 Form 1040 by March 1, 2027 (a Monday) and pay all the tax you owe at that time, you don't need to make an estimated payment.

The required annual payment

On Worksheet 2-1, line 12a, the IRS uses 66 2/3% (0.6667) of your 2026 tax instead of 90% for farming and fishing. The required annual payment is the smaller of that and the prior-year-based amount (line 12b).

Fiscal-year filers

If at least two-thirds of gross income is from farming or fishing but your year doesn't start January 1, you can either pay all estimated tax by the 15th day after the end of your tax year, or file and pay everything by the 1st day of the 3rd month after the end of your tax year.

Made-up example

A farmer with 70% of gross income from farming expects 2026 tax of $9,000 with $1,000 withheld. Required annual payment (current-year basis) 66 2/3% x $9,000 = $6,000, less withholding $1,000 = $5,000 due January 15, 2027, unless the farmer files and pays by March 1, 2027.

Not a farmer?

The general rules and the January 31 exception are on January payment and due dates.

FAQ

Is it "2025 or 2026"?

The IRS says gross income for either year can qualify.

Do the 2027 dates work the same way?

Expected, but the 2027 edition of Pub. 505 wasn't available; January 15, 2028 falls on a Saturday, so the Saturday, Sunday, holiday rule may move it (not confirmed).

What we could not verify