2026 tax year · Montana
Quarterly tax calculator for Montana
A $50,000 1099 year in Montana means about $2,190 to the IRS and $359 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 Montana 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 Montana |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2026 | Jan 1 - Mar 31 | $2,190 | $359 |
| June 16, 2026 | Apr 1 - May 31 | $2,190 | $359 |
| September 15, 2026 | Jun 1 - Aug 31 | $2,190 | $359 |
| January 15, 2027 | Sep 1 - Dec 31 | $2,190 | $359 |
| Year | $8,759 | $1,437 | |
The Montana side of each payment
Montana taxes the same 1099 profit on 2 graduated brackets topping out at 5.65%, so a second payment goes to the state each quarter, about $359 on the $50,000 example, against $1,597 of Montana income tax for the year.
Montana's own standard deduction of $14,000 comes off before the state rate applies, separately from the federal one, so the state quarter is smaller than the headline rate on gross profit suggests.
The 2026 dataset carries the federal 1040-ES dates but not state-specific due dates, so confirm Montana'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 Montana
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 Montana column moves with Montana'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 Montana | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $923 | $98 | 18.1% |
| $50,000 | $2,190 | $359 | 22.7% |
| $100,000 | $5,032 | $950 | 26.6% |
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 $11,329 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 Montana
On the 2026 rate itself: top rate reduced from 5.9% in 2025. Essentially a flat tax with small lower bracket.
Montana is one of the twelve states that still taxes Social Security benefits, which matters if you are drawing benefits alongside self-employment income.
Montana is also one of five states with no general sales tax, so the total tax picture is lighter than the income tax line alone suggests.
What a quarter costs in the states Montana borders
On $50,000, Montana charges $1,797 of state income tax. Of the 4 states it borders, South Dakota is the lightest at nothing at all and Idaho the most expensive at $2,650, a spread of $2,650 on the same income.
| State | State tax per quarter | vs Montana |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | No income tax | −$404 a quarter |
| Wyoming | No income tax | −$404 a quarter |
| North Dakota | $22 | −$382 a quarter |
| Idaho | $596 | +$192 a quarter |
- South Dakota has no income tax at all, so the same work done there costs $1,797 less in state tax than it does in Montana.
- Wyoming has no income tax at all, so the same work done there costs $1,797 less in state tax than it does in Montana.
- North Dakota would take $1,699 less, $98 against Montana's $1,797.
- Idaho would take $854 more, $2,650 against Montana's $1,797.
What this schedule assumes
- Single filer, standard deduction, net 1099 profit after expenses, no W-2 withholding.
- Four equal payments rather than annualised income.
- Montana due dates are not in the 2026 dataset, the dates shown are the federal ones.
Montana quarterly tax questions
How much should I send each quarter in Montana?
On $50,000 of net 1099 profit as a single filer, about $2,190 to the IRS plus roughly $359 to Montana. That is 90% of this year's liability, split four ways.
Does Montana use the same due dates as the IRS?
Montana 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 Montana's own schedule with its tax agency before assuming they line up.