Set-Aside Tracker 2026
Income and expense logs, Schedule C-style categories, a quarterly set-aside plan for every IRS period and a live dashboard.
- 6 tabs, 500 rows each
- Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers
- PDF quick-start guide
$14Buy now
For US freelancers & 1099 contractors
Know what to set aside before the IRS asks.
Quarterwise spreadsheets turn your invoices and receipts into one number: how much of each payment to move to savings for quarterly taxes. Excel and Google Sheets. No subscription.
- 2026 IRS due dates built in
- Self-employment tax math done for you
- Instant download
Net profit YTD$10,592
Est. tax$3,170
Set aside31%
| Period | Due | Set aside |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | Apr 15 | $1,298 |
| Apr–May | Jun 15 | $421 |
| Jun–Aug | Sep 15 | $996 |
| Sep–Dec | Jan 15 | $666 |
Sample data shown
15.3%self-employment tax on 92.35% of net earnings*
4estimated-tax due dates a year*
1number you actually need: your set-aside %
Templates
Pay once. Use all year.
Rate & Runway Calculator
Work backward from the take-home you want to the hourly and day rate you need to charge, after tax, expenses and time off.
- Target take-home → hourly and day rate
- Months-of-runway view, 24-month projection
$9Buy now
Receipt & Deduction Log
A tidy home for every receipt with Schedule C-style categories and a year-end summary you can hand straight to your preparer.
- Category, month and quarter totals
- Mileage tab with 2026 IRS rates
$9Buy now
The Quarterwise Bundle
All three templates and their quick-start guides in one download.
- Tracker + Calculator + Log
- 3 PDF quick-start guides
$24 $32Buy now
See every template, what's inside, and the free cheat sheet →
How it works
Ten minutes to set up. Two minutes a week.
- Enter your ratesYour state rate and an estimated federal rate go in Settings. Last year's return is a good guide.
- Log what comes inEvery client payment gets one row. The IRS period fills itself in from the date.
- Log what goes outPick a category from the dropdown. Meals count at 50% automatically.
- Move the moneyThe dashboard shows your set-aside %. Transfer it to savings the day you get paid.
Free guides
Plain numbers, cited to the IRS.
How much should a freelancer set aside for taxes in 2026?
The self-employment tax formula, 2026 brackets, and why a 25–30% rule of thumb is only a starting point.
Read the guide →Quarterly estimated tax deadlines, 2026–2027
All four due dates, the January 15, 2027 payment, and how to pay. Next deadline: January 15, 2027.
See the dates →Set-aside calculator
Enter expected income and expenses. Get an estimated set-aside percent you can use the day you get paid.
Open the calculator →About
Built for the people who invoice.
Quarterwise started from a simple frustration: freelance money arrives in lumps, and the tax bill shows up months later. Bookkeeping software is great but often more than a solo designer, writer or developer needs. A good spreadsheet is enough if it does the math for you.
Every template uses the IRS's published formulas and dates, shows its assumptions in plain English, and works offline in tools you already have.
"Organize and estimate, clearly. Never pretend to be your accountant."The Quarterwise rule
FAQ
Questions
Is this tax advice?
No. Quarterwise templates organize your numbers and estimate using simplified IRS math. Confirm your actual amounts with IRS Form 1040-ES or a tax professional.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. Formulas, dropdowns and the dashboard all carry over. It also opens in Excel and Apple Numbers.
What if I also have a W-2 job?
Enter your W-2 wages in Settings. The tracker caps the Social Security part of self-employment tax at the 2026 wage base ($184,500), counting your W-2 wages first.
Is it a subscription?
No. You pay once and keep the file. A new edition comes out each tax year.
What's your refund policy?
If the file doesn't work as described, email us within 30 days for a fix or a full refund.
Get the free Set-Aside Cheat Sheet
2026 due dates, the self-employment tax formula and a one-habit system, on one page. Plus a reminder two weeks before each deadline.
We’ll store your email for the cheat sheet and deadline reminders. We won’t sell it.