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Internal Revenue Code · 26 U.S.C.

§ 6654. Failure by individual to pay estimated income tax

In force Text current through Public Law 119-121 (October 9, 2026) release point 119-121

Official text, no changes From the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, release point 119-121 (current through Public Law 119-121 (October 9, 2026)). Compare it with the official text at uscode.house.gov (external site).

Cite as 26 U.S.C. § 6654

At a glance

Read from the text, the source credit and the official notes. Not part of the law.

Status
In force
Enacted
September 25, 1962 by Pub. L. 87–682
Last amended
March 23, 2018 by Pub. L. 115–141
Amendments
28 dated changes in the source credit
Length
14 subsections · 2,682 words · about 12 min to read
Defines
3 terms
Cross-references
cites 10; cited by 11 Code sections and 22 other regulations
Regulations
7 issued under this section
(a) Addition to the tax Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the case of any underpayment of estimated tax by an individual, there shall be added to the tax under chapter 1, the tax under chapter 2, and the tax under chapter 2A for the taxable year an amount determined by applying—
(1) the underpayment rate established under section 6621,
(2) to the amount of the underpayment,
(3) for the period of the underpayment.
(b) Amount of underpayment; period of underpayment For purposes of subsection (a)—
(1) Amount The amount of the underpayment shall be the excess of—
(A) the required installment, over
(B) the amount (if any) of the installment paid on or before the due date for the installment.
(2) Period of underpayment The period of the underpayment shall run from the due date for the installment to whichever of the following dates is the earlier—
(A) the 15th day of the 4th month following the close of the taxable year, or
(B) with respect to any portion of the underpayment, the date on which such portion is paid.
(3) Order of crediting payments

For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), a payment of estimated tax shall be credited against unpaid required installments in the order in which such installments are required to be paid.

(c) Number of required installments; due dates For purposes of this section—
(1) Payable in 4 installments

There shall be 4 required installments for each taxable year.

(2) Time for payment of installments

In the case of the following

required installments:

The due date is:

1st

April 15

2nd

June 15

3rd

September 15

4th

January 15 of the following taxable year.
(d) Amount of required installments For purposes of this section—
(1) Amount
(A) In general

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount of any required installment shall be 25 percent of the required annual payment.

(B) Required annual payment For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “required annual payment” means the lesser of—
(i) 90 percent of the tax shown on the return for the taxable year (or, if no return is filed, 90 percent of the tax for such year), or
(ii) 100 percent of the tax shown on the return of the individual for the preceding taxable year.
Clause (ii) shall not apply if the preceding taxable year was not a taxable year of 12 months or if the individual did not file a return for such preceding taxable year.
(C) Limitation on use of preceding year’s tax
(i) In general

If the adjusted gross income shown on the return of the individual for the preceding taxable year beginning in any calendar year exceeds $150,000, clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) shall be applied by substituting “110 percent” for “100 percent”.

(ii) Separate returns

In the case of a married individual (within the meaning of section 7703) who files a separate return for the taxable year for which the amount of the installment is being determined, clause (i) shall be applied by substituting “$75,000” for “$150,000”.

(iii) Special rule

In the case of an estate or trust, adjusted gross income shall be determined as provided in section 67(e).

(2) Lower required installment where annualized income installment is less than amount determined under paragraph (1)
(A) In general In the case of any required installment, if the individual establishes that the annualized income installment is less than the amount determined under paragraph (1)—
(i) the amount of such required installment shall be the annualized income installment, and
(ii) any reduction in a required installment resulting from the application of this subparagraph shall be recaptured by increasing the amount of the next required installment determined under paragraph (1) by the amount of such reduction (and by increasing subsequent required installments to the extent that the reduction has not previously been recaptured under this clause).
(B) Determination of annualized income installment In the case of any required installment, the annualized income installment is the excess (if any) of—
(i) an amount equal to the applicable percentage of the tax for the taxable year computed by placing on an annualized basis the taxable income, alternative minimum taxable income, and adjusted self-employment income for months in the taxable year ending before the due date for the installment, over
(ii) the aggregate amount of any prior required installments for the taxable year.
(C) Special rules For purposes of this paragraph—
(i) Annualization

The taxable income, alternative minimum taxable income, and adjusted self-employment income shall be placed on an annualized basis under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(ii) Applicable percentage

In the case of the following

required installments:

The applicable percentage is:

1st

22.5

2nd

45

3rd

67.5

4th

90.
(iii) Adjusted self-employment income

The term “adjusted self-employment income” means self-employment income (as defined in section 1402(b)); except that section 1402(b) shall be applied by placing wages (within the meaning of section 1402(b)) for months in the taxable year ending before the due date for the installment on an annualized basis consistent with clause (i).

(D) Treatment of subpart F income
(i) In general

Any amounts required to be included in gross income under section 951(a) (and credits properly allocable thereto) shall be taken into account in computing any annualized income installment under subparagraph (B) in a manner similar to the manner under which partnership income inclusions (and credits properly allocable thereto) are taken into account.

(ii) Prior year safe harbor If a taxpayer elects to have this clause apply to any taxable year—
(I) clause (i) shall not apply, and
(II) for purposes of computing any annualized income installment for such taxable year, the taxpayer shall be treated as having received ratably during such taxable year items of income and credit described in clause (i) in an amount equal to the amount of such items shown on the return of the taxpayer for the preceding taxable year (the second preceding taxable year in the case of the first and second required installments for such taxable year).
(e) Exceptions
(1) Where tax is small amount

No addition to tax shall be imposed under subsection (a) for any taxable year if the tax shown on the return for such taxable year (or, if no return is filed, the tax), reduced by the credit allowable under section 31, is less than $1,000.

(2) Where no tax liability for preceding taxable year No addition to tax shall be imposed under subsection (a) for any taxable year if—
(A) the preceding taxable year was a taxable year of 12 months,
(B) the individual did not have any liability for tax for the preceding taxable year, and
(C) the individual was a citizen or resident of the United States throughout the preceding taxable year.
(3) Waiver in certain cases
(A) In general

No addition to tax shall be imposed under subsection (a) with respect to any underpayment to the extent the Secretary determines that by reason of casualty, disaster, or other unusual circumstances the imposition of such addition to tax would be against equity and good conscience.

(B) Newly retired or disabled individuals No addition to tax shall be imposed under subsection (a) with respect to any underpayment if the Secretary determines that—
(i) the taxpayer—
(I) retired after having attained age 62, or
(II) became disabled,
in the taxable year for which estimated payments were required to be made or in the taxable year preceding such taxable year, and
(ii) such underpayment was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
(f) Tax computed after application of credits against tax For purposes of this section, the term “tax” means—
(1) the tax imposed by chapter 1 (other than any increase in such tax by reason of section 143(m)), plus
(2) the tax imposed by chapter 2, plus
(3) the tax imposed by chapter 2A, minus
(4) the credits against tax provided by part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1, other than the credit against tax provided by section 31 (relating to tax withheld on wages).
(g) Application of section in case of tax withheld on wages
(1) In general

For purposes of applying this section, the amount of the credit allowed under section 31 for the taxable year shall be deemed a payment of estimated tax, and an equal part of such amount shall be deemed paid on each due date for such taxable year, unless the taxpayer establishes the dates on which all amounts were actually withheld, in which case the amounts so withheld shall be deemed payments of estimated tax on the dates on which such amounts were actually withheld.

(2) Separate application The taxpayer may apply paragraph (1) separately with respect to—
(A) wage withholding, and
(B) all other amounts withheld for which credit is allowed under section 31.
(h) Special rule where return filed on or before January 31

If, on or before January 31 of the following taxable year, the taxpayer files a return for the taxable year and pays in full the amount computed on the return as payable, then no addition to tax shall be imposed under subsection (a) with respect to any underpayment of the 4th required installment for the taxable year.

(i) Special rules for farmers and fishermen For purposes of this section—
(1) In general If an individual is a farmer or fisherman for any taxable year—
(A) there shall be only 1 required installment for the taxable year,
(B) the due date for such installment shall be January 15 of the following taxable year,
(C) the amount of such installment shall be equal to the required annual payment determined under subsection (d)(1)(B) by substituting “66⅔ percent” for “90 percent” and without regard to subparagraph (C) of subsection (d)(1), and
(D) subsection (h) shall be applied—
(i) by substituting “March 1” for “January 31”, and
(ii) by treating the required installment described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph as the 4th required installment.
(2) Farmer or fisherman defined An individual is a farmer or fisherman for any taxable year if—
(A) the individual’s gross income from farming or fishing (including oyster farming) for the taxable year is at least 66⅔ percent of the total gross income from all sources for the taxable year, or
(B) such individual’s gross income from farming or fishing (including oyster farming) shown on the return of the individual for the preceding taxable year is at least 66⅔ percent of the total gross income from all sources shown on such return.
(j) Special rules for nonresident aliens In the case of a nonresident alien described in section 6072(c):
(1) Payable in 3 installments

There shall be 3 required installments for the taxable year.

(2) Time for payment of installments

The due dates for required installments under this subsection shall be determined under the following table:

In the case of the following

required installments:

The due date is:

1st

June 15

2nd

September 15

3rd

January 15 of the following taxable year.

(3) Amount of required installments
(A) First required installment

In the case of the first required installment, subsection (d) shall be applied by substituting “50 percent” for “25 percent” in subsection (d)(1)(A).

(B) Determination of applicable percentage

The applicable percentage for purposes of subsection (d)(2) shall be determined under the following table:

In the case of the following

required installments:

The applicable percentage is:

1st

22.5

2nd

45

3rd

67.5

4th

90.

(k) Fiscal years and short years
(1) Fiscal years

In applying this section to a taxable year beginning on any date other than January 1, there shall be substituted, for the months specified in this section, the months which correspond thereto.

(2) Short taxable year

This section shall be applied to taxable years of less than 12 months in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(l) Estates and trusts
(1) In general

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, this section shall apply to any estate or trust.

(2) Exception for estates and certain trusts With respect to any taxable year ending before the date 2 years after the date of the decedent’s death, this section shall not apply to—
(A) the estate of such decedent, or
(B) any trust—
(i) all of which was treated (under subpart E of part I of subchapter J of chapter 1) as owned by the decedent, and
(ii) to which the residue of the decedent’s estate will pass under his will (or, if no will is admitted to probate, which is the trust primarily responsible for paying debts, taxes, and expenses of administration).
(3) Exception for charitable trusts and private foundations

This section shall not apply to any trust which is subject to the tax imposed by section 511 or which is a private foundation.

(4) Special rule for annualizations

In the case of any estate or trust to which this section applies, subsection (d)(2)(B)(i) shall be applied by substituting “ending before the date 1 month before the due date for the installment” for “ending before the due date for the installment”.

(m) Special rule for Medicare tax

For purposes of this section, the tax imposed under section 3101(b)(2) (to the extent not withheld) shall be treated as a tax imposed under chapter 2.

(n) Regulations

The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 823; Pub. L. 87–682, § 1(a)(4), Sept. 25, 1962, 76 Stat. 575; Pub. L. 89–368, title I, §§ 102(b)(1)–(3), 103(a), Mar. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 62–64; Pub. L. 91–172, title III, § 301(b)(13), Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 92–5, title II, § 203(b)(7), Mar. 17, 1971, 85 Stat. 11; Pub. L. 92–336, title II, § 203(b)(7), July 1, 1972, 86 Stat. 420; Pub. L. 93–66, title II, § 203(b)(7), (d), July 9, 1973, 87 Stat. 153; Pub. L. 93–233, § 5(b)(7), (d), Dec. 31, 1973, 87 Stat. 954; Pub. L. 93–625, § 7(c), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2115; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(a)(35), (b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1829, 1834; Pub. L. 95–30, title I, § 102(b)(16), May 23, 1977, 91 Stat. 139; Pub. L. 95–600, title IV, § 421(e)(9), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2877; Pub. L. 97–34, title VI, § 601(a)(6)(A), title VII, § 725(b), (c)(5), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 336, 346; Pub. L. 97–248, title II, § 207(d)(7), formerly § 207(c)(7), title III, §§ 307(a)(14), 308(a), 328(a), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 420, 590, 591, 618, renumbered § 207(d)(7), Pub. L. 97–448, title III, § 306(a)(1)(A)(i), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2400; Pub. L. 97–448, title I, §§ 106(a)(4)(C), 107(c)(1), title II, § 201(j)(3), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2390, 2391, 2396; Pub. L. 98–67, title I, § 102(a), Aug. 5, 1983, 97 Stat. 369; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, § 411, July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 788; Pub. L. 99–514, title XIV, § 1404(a), title XV, §§ 1511(c)(14), 1541(a), (b), title XVIII, § 1841, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2713, 2745, 2751, 2852; Pub. L. 100–418, title I, § 1941(b)(6)(A), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1324; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1014(d)(1), (2), title IV, § 4005(g)(5), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3560, 3651; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7811(j)(5), (6), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2411, 2412; Pub. L. 102–164, title IV, § 403(a), (b), Nov. 15, 1991, 105 Stat. 1062, 1064; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13214(a), (b), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 475; Pub. L. 103–465, title VII, § 711(b), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4998; Pub. L. 105–34, title X, § 1091(a), title XII, § 1202(a), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 962, 994; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title II, § 2003(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–901; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 531(a), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1928; Pub. L. 111–5, div. B, title I, § 1212, Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 336; Pub. L. 111–152, title I, § 1402(a)(2), (b)(2), Mar. 30, 2010, 124 Stat. 1062, 1063; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(a)(301), (302), (b)(48), (49), (d)(1)(D)(xix), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1199, 1204, 1205, 1208.)

Terms defined here

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Regulations under this section

Treasury regulations (26 CFR) issued under § 6654

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Cross-references

Computed from the citations in the text of Title 26 and 26 CFR.

This section cites 10 other sections

Cited by 11 Code sections

Cited in 22 regulations not issued under it

Amendment history

From the source credit and the official notes, newest first.

  1. Amended by Pub. L. 115–141Parts changed in 2018: (a) (d)(1)(C)(i) (d)(1)(D) (d)(2)(D) (d)(2)(D)(i) (f)(3)
  2. Amended by Pub. L. 111–152Parts changed in 2010: (a) (f)(2) (f)(3) (m)
  3. Amended by Pub. L. 111–5Parts changed in 2009: (d)(1)(D)
  4. Amended by Pub. L. 106–170Parts changed in 1999: (d)(1)(C)(i)
  5. Amended by Pub. L. 105–277Parts changed in 1998: (d)(1)(C)(i)
  6. Amended by Pub. L. 105–34Parts changed in 1997: (d)(1)(C)(i) (e)(1)
  7. Amended by Pub. L. 103–465Parts changed in 1994: (d)(2)(D)
  8. Amended by Pub. L. 103–66Parts changed in 1993: (d)(1)(C) (j)(3)(A) (l)(4)
  9. Amended by Pub. L. 102–164Parts changed in 1991: (d)(1)(C) (i)(1)(C) (j)(3)(A) (l)(4)
  10. Amended by Pub. L. 101–239Parts changed in 1989: (l)(1) (l)(2)(B)(ii)
  11. Amended by Pub. L. 100–647Parts changed in 1988: (f)(1) (f)(3) (l)
  12. Amended by Pub. L. 100–418
  13. Amended by Pub. L. 99–514Parts changed in 1986: (a)(1) (d)(1)(B)(i) (d)(2)(C)(ii) (i)(1)(C) (j) (j)(3)(B) (k) (l) (m)
  14. Amended by Pub. L. 98–369Parts changed in 1984: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)
  15. Amended by Pub. L. 98–67Parts changed in 1983: (e)(1) (f)(1) (g)(3)(B)
  16. Amended by Pub. L. 97–448
  17. Amended by Pub. L. 97–248Parts changed in 1982: (e)(1) (g) (g)(1) (g)(3) (h)
  18. Amended by Pub. L. 97–34Parts changed in 1981: (f) (f)(3) (g)
  19. Amended by Pub. L. 95–600Parts changed in 1978: (f)(1)
  20. Amended by Pub. L. 95–30Parts changed in 1977: (d)(2)(A)
  21. Amended by Pub. L. 94–455Parts changed in 1976: (g) (h)
  22. Amended by Pub. L. 93–625Parts changed in 1975: (a)
  23. Amended by Pub. L. 93–233Parts changed in 1973: (d)(2)(B)(ii)
  24. Amended by Pub. L. 93–66
  25. Amended by Pub. L. 92–336Parts changed in 1972: (d)(2)(B)(ii)
  26. Amended by Pub. L. 92–5Parts changed in 1971: (d)(2)(B)(ii)
  27. Amended by Pub. L. 91–172Parts changed in 1969: (f)(1)
  28. Amended by Pub. L. 89–368Parts changed in 1966: (a) (b) (d) (f)
  29. Enacted by Pub. L. 87–682Parts changed in 1962: (b)

Where it sits in the Code

  1. Subtitle F Procedure and Administration
  2. Chapter 68 ADDITIONS TO THE TAX, ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS, AND ASSESSABLE PENALTIES
  3. Subchapter A Additions to the Tax and Additional Amounts
  4. Part I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Nearby sections

Official notes

The Law Revision Counsel's notes for this section (amendments, effective dates and related laws) are long, so they have their own page.