Paying the IRS yourself sounds like something that needs an accountant. It doesn’t. IRS Direct Pay is a free page on irs.gov that pulls the money straight from your bank account. There’s no account to create and no fee, and the whole thing takes about five minutes once you know what to pick. Here’s every screen.
Before you start, have these handy
- Last year’s tax return (or any recent one you filed). The IRS uses it to make sure it’s really you.
- Your bank’s routing number and your account number. They’re on a check, or in your bank app under account details.
- The amount. If you’ve been setting money aside from every check, it’s what built up for this period. How much to send.
Only use the real site. Type irs.gov yourself or use a link from a source you trust. The IRS never asks you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or crypto, and never calls or texts demanding a payment.
Step 1: Open Direct Pay
Go to irs.gov, choose Pay, then Pay from your bank account (that’s Direct Pay). Click Make a Payment.
Step 2: Tax information
This is the screen that matters most. Pick exactly these:
| Field | Pick |
|---|---|
| Reason for payment | Estimated Tax |
| Apply payment to | 1040ES |
| Tax period for payment | The year you earned the money (2026 for any 2026 payment, including the one due January 15, 2027) |
The tax period trips people up on the January payment. The January 15, 2027 payment is for money earned in late 2026, so the tax period is 2026. Pick the wrong year and the payment gets credited to the wrong year.
The site asks you to confirm. Click Continue.
Step 3: Verify your identity
Direct Pay doesn’t use a login. Instead it checks a few things against a tax return you already filed:
- Which tax year you’re using to verify (pick a year you filed, usually last year)
- Filing status on that return
- Name, Social Security number, date of birth
- Address exactly as it was on that return
If you moved since then, use the old address that’s on that return. That’s the most common reason verification fails. If you’re married filing jointly, enter the information for the first name listed on the return.
Step 4: Payment information
- Amount. Double-check the digits.
- Payment date. Today, or schedule it ahead. A payment dated on or before the due date counts as on time. Don’t leave it to the last evening, in case verification gives you trouble.
- Account type, routing number, account number.
Step 5: Review and sign
Check everything once more, then type your name to sign electronically and submit. You can ask for an email confirmation here too.
Step 6: Save the confirmation
The last page shows a confirmation number. Screenshot it. Your tax preparer needs the date and amount of every payment to credit them on your return, and the confirmation is your proof if anything ever goes missing. You can also look up the payment later on Direct Pay with that number.
Then pay your state
If your state has an income tax, it has its own payment site, usually on the state department of revenue website, with its own estimated payment option. The steps are similar: estimated payment, the tax year, the amount, your bank info.
Common mistakes
- Choosing “Balance Due” instead of “Estimated Tax.” Balance due is for a bill you already got. Quarterly payments are estimated tax.
- Wrong tax year on the January payment (see Step 2).
- Using a card processor when you didn’t need to. Card payments go through outside companies and charge a fee. Direct Pay from a bank account is free.
- Not saving the confirmation.
The app does the walkthrough with you
Tech Tax Helper has a “Show me how to pay” button. It tells you the amount for the IRS and your state, opens the official IRS Direct Pay site, lists exactly what to pick on each screen, and then saves your confirmation with the rest of your records. It never sees your bank information; you pay on the government site yourself.
This is general information about U.S. federal taxes, not advice for your situation. If something here doesn't match your paperwork, ask a tax preparer.