CRA Tax Instalment Calculator 2026
Updated October 2026 · 2026 CRA rules
If you're self-employed or have income with little or no tax taken off, the CRA may ask you to prepay tax four times a year. Enter your net tax owing for the last two years and an estimate for 2026 to see whether instalments apply, what each payment option costs per quarter, and when each payment is due.
Your 2024 notice of assessment, or line 48500 balance owing before any instalments you paid. Not your refund.
Same idea as 2024: tax payable minus tax withheld and refundable credits. Not your CPP.
Your estimate for this year, before instalments. You can fill this from the estimator below.
Revenu Québec runs its own instalment system for Quebec tax and QPP, with the same $1,800 test. This calculator covers your federal instalments to the CRA only.
Add CPP contributions on self-employment (optional)
Line 42100 of each return. CPP self-employed calculator.
Don't know your 2026 number? Estimate it
Assumes no tax was withheld and no other income. Uses the same 2026 rates as our self-employed tax calculator.
Enter net tax owing for 2024, 2025 and an estimate for 2026.
If your first reminder came in August
If your first reminder came in August (no March or June amount), the CRA lets you pay 75% of the year's prior-year or current-year total on September 15 and 25% on December 15.
Estimate, not tax advice. The CRA's reminder uses your assessed returns, so it can differ a little from this page. If you use the no-calculation option, pay the amount printed on your reminder. Check with the CRA, Revenu Québec or a qualified professional before you rely on it.
How the three options compare
| Option | What each payment is based on |
|---|---|
| No-calculation | March and June are each one quarter of the 2024 base. September and December split whatever is left of the 2025 base. |
| Prior-year | One quarter of the 2025 base on each of the four dates. |
| Current-year | One quarter of the 2026 estimate on each date. Lowest when income fell, and the one that can trigger interest if the estimate is too low. |
No-calculation is what a CRA reminder usually shows. March and June are each one quarter of the 2024 base. September and December split whatever is left so the four payments add up to the 2025 base. If you pay exactly those reminder amounts on time, the CRA won't charge instalment interest, even if you owe more at tax time.
Prior-year splits the 2025 base into four equal payments. Current-year splits your 2026 estimate into four equal payments. Current-year is only safe if the estimate isn't too low. If you underestimate, interest runs on the shortfall.
The CRA uses your assessed returns, so the reminder can differ a little from this estimate. Always pay the amount printed on your reminder if you use this option.
Why CPP is added but not counted
The $3,000 test (or $1,800 in Quebec) looks at net tax owing: federal and provincial or territorial tax, minus tax withheld and refundable credits. CPP contributions payable on self-employment are not part of that test. They are added afterwards, so the amount you prepay includes both the tax and the CPP. In Quebec, QPP is paid to Revenu Québec, so this page leaves it out of the federal instalment.
What if my income dropped this year?
The current-year option follows this year's estimate, so the quarterly amount can be lower than last year's. That is the point of it. The risk is the other way: if income picks up and the estimate was too low, instalment interest can apply to the shortfall. If your income might rise, the prior-year or no-calculation amounts protect you from that interest.
Quebec residents
Quebec tax and QPP are not part of the CRA instalment. Only federal tax counts toward the $1,800 test, and the federal refundable Quebec abatement is already taken off that federal amount. Revenu Québec runs a separate instalment system for Quebec tax and QPP, with the same $1,800 test. Tick the Quebec box so this page stays on the federal payments.
Paying
People usually pay through My Business Account, online banking, or the CRA's My Payment service. This page doesn't cover fees or which banks support which method. A payment that arrives on the next business day is still on time when the printed date is a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday the CRA recognises. To plan the cash, use the self-employed tax calculator for a monthly set-aside.
Questions
Do I have to pay tax instalments in 2026?
You pay instalments for 2026 if your net tax owing is more than $3,000 ($1,800 in Quebec) in 2026 and in either 2025 or 2024. Exactly $3,000 is not over the line. CPP is not part of this test.
What are the CRA instalment due dates for 2026?
The dates are March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. In 2026, March 15 is a Sunday, so a payment received by Monday, March 16 is on time. The other three dates fall on weekdays.
Which instalment option should I choose?
The no-calculation option matches what a CRA reminder usually shows, and paying those amounts on time avoids instalment interest even if you owe more later. The prior-year option splits last year's base into four equal payments. The current-year option is lowest when income fell, but interest can apply if the estimate is too low. This calculator recommends the lowest annual total, and prefers no-calculation when there is a tie.
Is CPP included in the $3,000 threshold?
No. CPP contributions on self-employment are not part of net tax owing, so they do not count toward the $3,000 test. They are added to the amount you prepay.
What happens if I miss an instalment?
Late or short payments can be charged instalment interest, compounded daily at the CRA's prescribed rate (7% a year from October 1 to December 31, 2026). The CRA only bills the interest if it is over $25. If 2026 instalment interest is over $1,000, a penalty can be added. Pay a missed amount as soon as you can.
Do Quebec residents pay instalments to the CRA?
Quebec residents pay federal instalments to the CRA when federal net tax owing is over $1,800. Quebec income tax and QPP instalments go to Revenu Québec, not the CRA. This calculator covers the federal payments only.
More free tools
- Self-Employed Tax Calculator
- CPP Self-Employed Calculator
- Home Office Calculator
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- Sales Tax Calculator
Sources
- Who has to pay
- Payment due dates
- Options to calculate
- Interest and penalty charges
- Calculation chart for instalment payments for 2026
- Prescribed interest rates (Q4 2026)
- CRA public holidays 2026
- Income Tax Act s.156
- Income Tax Act s.156.1
- Revenu Québec instalment payments
Sources: canada.ca — Who has to pay, Payment due dates, Options to calculate, Interest and penalty charges, Calculation chart for instalment payments for 2026, Prescribed interest rates (Q4 2026), CRA public holidays 2026; Income Tax Act s.156 and s.156.1.