2026 tax year · Colorado
Quarterly tax calculator for Colorado
A $50,000 1099 year in Colorado means about $2,190 to the IRS and $418 to the state, four times a year.
Switching state opens that state's page.
Line 24 of your prior 1040, unlocks the prior-year safe harbor.
Above $150,000 the prior-year target rises to 110%.
Enter what you expect to earn and press Calculate to see each payment.
The Colorado payment schedule on $50,000
A single filer with $50,000 of net 1099 profit, taking the standard deduction and paying 90% of this year's liability:
| Due | Income earned | To the IRS | To Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2026 | Jan 1 - Mar 31 | $2,190 | $418 |
| June 16, 2026 | Apr 1 - May 31 | $2,190 | $418 |
| September 15, 2026 | Jun 1 - Aug 31 | $2,190 | $418 |
| January 15, 2027 | Sep 1 - Dec 31 | $2,190 | $418 |
| Year | $8,759 | $1,673 | |
The Colorado side of each payment
Colorado taxes the same 1099 profit at a flat 4%, so a second payment goes to the state each quarter, about $418 on the $50,000 example, against $1,859 of Colorado income tax for the year.
The 2026 dataset carries the federal 1040-ES dates but not state-specific due dates, so confirm Colorado's schedule and voucher with its tax agency, several states do not match the federal calendar exactly.
What each quarter costs at three income levels in Colorado
A single filer taking the standard deduction, at three levels of net profit. The federal column moves with the self-employment tax and the federal brackets; the Colorado column moves with Colorado's own rules, so the two do not scale together. Use the calculator above for the other filing statuses:
| Net 1099 profit | Per quarter to the IRS | Per quarter to Colorado | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $923 | $209 | 20.1% |
| $50,000 | $2,190 | $418 | 23.2% |
| $100,000 | $5,032 | $836 | 26.1% |
Staying inside the safe harbor
Payments are required once you expect to owe $1,000 or more, which the $50,000 example above does, at $11,591 for the year. Two targets avoid a penalty and you need only the lower; the hub explains both routes and the penalty.
What the rate alone doesn't tell you about Colorado
Colorado is one of the twelve states that still taxes Social Security benefits, which matters if you are drawing benefits alongside self-employment income.
What a quarter costs in the states Colorado borders
On $50,000, Colorado charges $2,000 of state income tax. Of the 6 states it borders, Wyoming is the lightest at nothing at all and Kansas the most expensive at $2,460, a spread of $2,460 on the same income.
| State | State tax per quarter | vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | No income tax | −$450 a quarter |
| Nebraska | $444 | −$6 a quarter |
| New Mexico | $486 | +$36 a quarter |
| Oklahoma | $498 | +$48 a quarter |
| Utah | $506 | +$56 a quarter |
| Kansas | $554 | +$104 a quarter |
- Wyoming has no income tax at all, so the same work done there costs $2,000 less in state tax than it does in Colorado.
- Nebraska would take $26 less, $1,974 against Colorado's $2,000.
- New Mexico would take $160 more, $2,160 against Colorado's $2,000.
- Oklahoma would take $215 more, $2,215 against Colorado's $2,000.
- Utah would take $250 more, $2,250 against Colorado's $2,000.
- Kansas would take $460 more, $2,460 against Colorado's $2,000.
What this schedule assumes
- Single filer, standard deduction, net 1099 profit after expenses, no W-2 withholding.
- Four equal payments rather than annualised income.
- Colorado due dates are not in the 2026 dataset, the dates shown are the federal ones.
Colorado quarterly tax questions
How much should I send each quarter in Colorado?
On $50,000 of net 1099 profit as a single filer, about $2,190 to the IRS plus roughly $418 to Colorado. That is 90% of this year's liability, split four ways.
Does Colorado use the same due dates as the IRS?
Colorado requires its own estimated payments, but the 2026 dataset carries only the federal 1040-ES dates (April 15, 2026, June 16, 2026, September 15, 2026, January 15, 2027). Confirm Colorado's own schedule with its tax agency before assuming they line up.