08/28/2026
Is the September 15 estimated tax payment you were given earlier this year still accurate?
For many business owners, the third-quarter payment was calculated in March or April using limited current-year information. By September, revenue, margins, payroll, owner distributions, major purchases, or other parts of the business may look very different.
Before sending the same amount as last quarter, review these five numbers:
1. Year-to-date profit
Start with current, reconciled financial statements, not the business bank balance. Owner distributions, loan principal payments, and certain major purchases can reduce cash without reducing taxable income by the same amount. A business can feel short on cash while still generating a significant tax liability.
2. Owner compensation and distributions
This is especially important for S corporation owners. Distributions are not deductible business expenses, and higher profitability may require another look at whether the ownerβs W-2 compensation remains reasonable. September still leaves several payroll cycles to address a compensation issue before year-end.
3. Federal and state taxes already paid
Reconcile estimated payments, payroll withholding, extension payments, and any prior-year refund applied to the current year. Do not assume every payment was posted correctly or included in the original projection.
Also remember that meeting a safe-harbor requirement may help reduce underpayment penalties without covering the full amount that will ultimately be due with the return.
4. Projected full-year income
Avoid simply annualizing the first eight months. Consider seasonality, signed contracts, expected bonuses, customer losses, planned hiring, equipment or property sales, and other unusual transactions.
For example, a retailer approaching the holiday season may have a very different fourth quarter from a business whose busiest months have already passed.
5. Cash available for taxes
Pass-through business income is generally taxed on the ownerβs individual return, even when the cash remains in the business, is tied up in receivables, or has been reinvested into inventory and growth.
Compare the projected tax obligation with upcoming payroll, rent, debt payments, planned purchases, and the operating reserve the business needs.
If the updated projection has changed materially, there may still be time to adjust estimated payments or withholding, revise owner distributions, build a tax reserve, review retirement plan contributions, and evaluate the timing of necessary business purchases before December 31.
Tax planning does not mean spending money solely to create a deduction. It means understanding the tax consequences of decisions the business already needs to make and choosing the timing carefully.
If your business has changed since your estimated payments were originally calculated, contact us to review the numbers before making the September 15 payment.
π 612-605-3178
π prudentaccountants.com