Estimated payments are due, are you the first to tell them?

Here’s a tough truth: the IRS isn’t going to send your client a friendly reminder before penalties hit. But you can.

Estimated payments aren’t flashy, but getting them right is one of the easiest ways to prove your value and protect your client relationship. When clients owe unexpectedly or get a letter from the IRS, even if it’s no big deal, the emotion takes over, and their “trusted advisor” often becomes the scapegoat.

You can get ahead of all that.

If your clients have taxable income outside of W-2 wages (i.e., RMDs, business income, rental properties, large capital gains), they likely owe a Q2 estimated payment by Monday, June 16, Monday, September 15, and Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Here’s how you can step in:
– Run a quick tax check-in for clients with non-withheld income.
– Make sure payments are made from the right source (it matters more than you think).
– Avoid estimates altogether when possible by adjusting withholdings now.
– Use Form W-4V for clients on Social Security, because “zero withholding” is rarely what they meant to elect.

And if you’re waiting for the tax preparer to bring this up, remember: many of them aren’t looking at this until next April.

Your clients will remember who helped them avoid penalties, confusion, or a surprise bill. Be the one who gets there first.

Happy Tax Planning,

Steven Jarvis, CPA