When do I pay nanny taxes during the year?
Short answer
You report the year's nanny taxes on Schedule H with your own tax return, but the IRS expects them paid during the year. The usual ways are estimated tax payments, due April 15, 2026, June 15, 2026, September 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027, or more federal income tax withheld from your own paycheck through a new W-4. Paying too little during the year can bring an underpayment penalty.
Answered by the NannyKeeper team
The numbers
“Estimated tax payments for 2026 are due April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.”
- First estimated payment
- April 15, 2026
- Second estimated payment
- June 15, 2026
- Third estimated payment
- September 15, 2026
- Fourth estimated payment
- January 15, 2027
Sources
- IRS Publication 926 (2026), Household Employer's Tax Guide · Read October 25, 2026
- IRS Form 1040-ES (2026), Estimated Tax for Individuals · Read October 25, 2026
What this means for you
- You don't have to make the January 15, 2027 payment if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay everything due with it.
- No penalty applies if nothing is withheld from any pay or pension you get, and your taxes without the nanny's wouldn't need estimated payments.
- You can pay it all at once or in installments. If you've already made estimated payments for 2026, raise the ones left to cover your nanny's taxes.
- Your state unemployment tax runs on its own schedule, set by your state.
Read the full guide: Quarterly nanny tax deadlines for 2026 and 2027