TaxoraIf you're self-employed in Jamaica, you don't just file once a year. TAJ requires quarterly estimated tax payments via the S04A form — and missing these deadlines can be costly.
What is the S04A?
The S04A is the Quarterly Estimated Income Tax Return. It requires you to estimate your annual income and pay taxes in four installments throughout the year. Each quarter covers Income Tax, Education Tax, NIS, and NHT.
When Are Payments Due?
The four quarterly deadlines are:
- Q1: March 15
- Q2: June 15
- Q3: September 15
- Q4: December 15
How to Estimate Your Quarterly Payment
The simplest approach is to take your previous year's total tax liability and divide by four. As the year progresses and you have more actual data, you can adjust your estimates. It's better to slightly overpay than underpay — overpayments are credited against your annual return.
Self-Employed Threshold
For the 2025/2026 tax year, the statutory income relief for self-employed individuals is J$1,799,376. If your projected annual income is below this, your income tax quarterly payment may be zero — but you still owe NIS (6%), NHT (3%), and Education Tax (2.25%).
Penalties for Late Payment
Late filing attracts a penalty of J$5,000 per month (or part thereof). Late payment incurs interest at 33.33% per annum on the outstanding balance. These add up quickly.
How Taxora Helps
Taxora sends deadline reminders, auto-computes your quarterly estimates based on your year-to-date transactions, and generates the S04A form. At year-end, your quarterly payments are automatically reconciled against your annual S04 return.