The IRS doesn't send a warning. It just adds the charge on top of whatever you owe.
If you're self-employed, had a big income year, or haven't checked your estimated payments β do the math now.
There's no automatic withholding when you work for yourself. The fix: set aside 25β30% the moment a payment hits your account. Not at the end of the month. Not when quarterly taxes are due. Immediately.
Most first-year freelancers spend every dollar they make. Then April arrives and the IRS wants 30% of it back. Here's what nobody tells you before you go out on your own. π§΅