When does the US tax year start and end?

The US tax year for individuals follows the calendar year — January 1 to December 31. Your 2025 tax return covers all income earned between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. Key dates for self-employed individuals: - January 31: Form 1099-NEC (contractor payments) deadline for payers to issue and file - April 15, 2026: Form 1040 filing deadline AND Q1 2026 estimated tax payment due - June 16, 2026: Q2 estimated tax payment due - September 15, 2026: Q3 estimated tax payment due - October 15, 2026: Extended filing deadline (if you requested a 6-month extension) - January 15, 2027: Q4 2026 estimated tax payment due Note: The US tax year is fixed at the calendar year for individual filers. Unlike Australia (July–June) or the UK (April–April), there is no fiscal year option for most sole proprietors.

  • Calendar year: January 1 to December 31
  • Form 1040 filing deadline: April 15 (or October 15 with extension)
  • Extension only extends time to file, not time to pay — penalties accrue from April 15
  • Quarterly estimated taxes due: Apr 15, Jun 16, Sep 15, Jan 15
  • Form 1099-NEC must be issued to contractors by January 31

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