Tax year covered: 2026. Income earned 1 January–31 December 2026 is reported on the return filed in 2027. The “tax year” is the year you earned the money. The “filing year” is the year you report it. Most confusion on this site comes from mixing those two up.
When does income count? When you receive it
Most first-time freelancers use the cash method, even if they never chose that name for it. Under the cash method, income generally counts in the year you actually receive it — not the year you sent the invoice, and not the year you did the work.
- Work done in December 2026, paid in January 2027: generally 2027 income.
- Work done in December 2025, paid in January 2026: generally 2026 income.
- An invoice sent in 2026 but never paid in 2026: generally not 2026 income.
That is also why a 1099 can look “wrong” when it is actually just in the other year: the payer reports payments made in the calendar year, not work performed in that year. Compare the form to your payment dates, not your work dates. If the amount itself is wrong, see What to Do If Your 1099 Is Wrong.
Source: IRS, Schedule C instructions (cash method); IRS, Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC.
The calendar for tax year 2026, filed in 2027
These dates are for calendar-year individual filers. State dates are separate and can differ — check your state tax agency.
| Date | What it is |
|---|---|
| 15 January 2027 (Friday) | Fourth estimated tax payment for 2026 income (September–December 2026) |
| 1 February 2027 (Monday) | Forms 1099-NEC for 2026 payments due to recipients and to the IRS. The statutory date is 31 January, which falls on a Sunday in 2027, so it shifts to the next business day. |
| 1 February 2027 (Monday) | If you file your 2026 return and pay in full by this date, you generally do not need to make the 15 January estimated payment. Confirm this rule on the 2026 Form 1040-ES instructions for your situation. |
| 15 April 2027 (Thursday) | File your 2026 Form 1040, pay any balance due, and make the first estimated payment for 2027 income. This is also the date to request a filing extension. |
| 15 June 2027 (Tuesday) | Second estimated payment for 2027 income. |
| 15 September 2027 (Wednesday) | Third estimated payment for 2027 income. |
| 15 October 2027 (Friday) | Extended filing deadline for the 2026 return, if you requested an extension by 15 April 2027. |
Sources: IRS, Form 1040-ES instructions (2026); IRS, General Instructions for Certain Information Returns (2026); IRS, Form 4868 instructions.
Filing extension vs payment extension — they are not the same
Form 4868 gives you more time to file, generally until 15 October 2027 for the 2026 return. It does not give you more time to pay. Tax you owe for 2026 is still due 15 April 2027, and failure-to-pay penalties and interest run from that date on any unpaid balance. If you cannot pay in full, file on time anyway and deal with the balance separately — see Can’t Pay the Tax on Your First 1099? What to Do Next.
Estimated payments, in one paragraph
The four 2026 estimated payments were due 15 April 2026, 15 June 2026, 15 September 2026 and 15 January 2027. The four 2027 payments are due 15 April 2027, 15 June 2027, 15 September 2027 and 18 January 2028 (15 January 2028 is a Saturday and 17 January is a holiday, so the date shifts — confirm on the 2027 Form 1040-ES when it is published). The payment periods are not equal calendar quarters: the second period covers April–May and the third covers June–August. For how much to pay and the safe harbours, see Quarterly Estimated Taxes, Simply Explained.
What if a form has not arrived?
Wait until early February for 2026 forms, then contact the payer, confirm the address and taxpayer ID they have on file, and check whether the payer was even required to send a form. For 2026 payments, a payer generally had to send a 1099-NEC only at $2,000 or more to one person — below that, no form does not mean no income. Your income is still reportable with or without the form.
Next: The Complete First 1099-NEC Guide · Do I Have to File a Tax Return for My First 1099? · Quarterly Estimated Taxes, Simply Explained