How to Set Aside Tax on Freelance Income
Product guide
Know what is yours before you spend it.
Freelance pay arrives with no tax taken out, which makes every payment look bigger than it is. This set-aside planner tells you what share of each one belongs to the tax account, what to move today, and what each quarterly estimated payment will come to — before the due date, not after it.
- 3 editions: app, Google Sheets, Excel
- $19 once, no subscription
- Four IRS quarters built in
- Works offline
- No bank connection
What a tax set-aside planner has to do
Saving "roughly a third" is how people end up short. Four things make it a number instead of a guess:
Turns each payment into a figure to move
Log the payment, see the amount that belongs in the tax account, and move it in one tap — while the money is still there.
Counts only the income that needs it
Paychecks where tax was already withheld are marked and stay out of the set-aside, so you are not saving twice on the same dollar.
Subtracts the expenses that lower the bill
Business expenses reduce the profit your set-aside is based on, so the target reflects what you will actually owe.
Shows each quarter before it arrives
The four periods with profit, target, paid and remaining, and a status from Not started to Paid — so a due date is never a surprise.
Setting it up
One purchase gives you all three editions, so pick the one that suits how you work. You can use more than one; they do not sync with each other.
The app
Any modern browser. No install.
- Check your email for the Darzen username and password we send right after checkout.
- Sign in at account.darzenstore.com and open Darzen Tax Set-Aside.
- Download the app and open it in your browser.
- Sign in once. After that it works offline, on up to two devices.
Google Sheets
A free Google account.
- Sign in to your Darzen account and open the Google Sheets edition.
- Choose Make a copy. Your copy lands in your own Google Drive.
- Rename it if you like, then start on the first tab.
Excel
Excel 2010 or later, Mac or Windows, or Excel for the web. No macros.
- Sign in to your Darzen account and download the Excel workbook.
- You get two files: a blank copy, and an example copy already filled in.
- Open the example first to see how it behaves, then work in the blank one.
How to use it, screen by screen
The walkthrough follows the app; the spreadsheet editions carry the same tabs, with yellow cells for what you type.
Start on the Overview
Income this year against the same point last year, how much you have set aside, what is still to move, and the next estimated payment with its due date. If only one number matters today, it is "still to move".
Log income as it arrives
Add each payment with its client and date. Mark any paycheck where tax was already withheld so it stays out of the set-aside. Search, filter by client or month, and export to CSV at year end.
Move the money the same day
Tap Move now for the suggested amount, or type your own. Each move is logged with a running balance, so the tax account and the record agree.
Enter the expenses that lower the bill
Business expenses sorted into categories reduce the profit the set-aside is based on. This is also the list you will want when the return is prepared.
Check each quarter before it is due
The four IRS periods, each with the profit it covers, the target, what you have paid and what is left. The status tells you at a glance which one needs attention.
Try it right here
Use the real thing before you buy. The demo is the app itself with a sample year loaded.
The real app, loaded with sample data, in its own tab. Nothing you type into it is saved.
Questions people ask first
Is this tax advice?
No. It is a planner that does arithmetic on figures you enter. It does not file anything and it is not a substitute for an accountant.
Does it connect to my bank?
No. You enter income and expenses yourself, which is why nothing leaves your own device or Drive.
What set-aside rate does it use?
The one you set. The suggestion follows your own rate and your own profit after expenses.
Is there a subscription?
No. It is one purchase of $19, and updates are free.
How do I get the files after I buy?
Right after checkout we email you a Darzen username and password. Sign in to your Darzen account to download the app and the Excel files, and to make your copy of the Google Sheets edition.
Can I export for my accountant?
Yes. Income and expenses export to CSV.
Stop being surprised by a bill you already earned
One purchase, three editions, no subscription. Set aside the right share while the payment is still in the account.