Quarterly Estimated Tax
for Fellowship Recipients
(Tax Year 2024)
Taught by Dr. Emily Roberts
Subsidized by the Council of Graduate Students at Michigan State University
Is income tax NOT being withheld from your grad student fellowship paychecks?

Not a problem!

This workshop shows you exactly how to calculate and make your federal income tax payments, whether once per quarter or once per year.
The Council of Graduate Students at Michigan State University (MSU) is subsidizing this workshop for currently enrolled MSU graduate and professional students, so the cost to you is only $10. Registration is limited!
HELP ME CALCULATE MY PAYMENT!
Why Should You Purchase This Workshop?
Simply put: The workshop takes all the stress and struggle out of estimating your tax liability on your fellowship income and determining whether you are required to pay your income tax quarterly.

This workshop is explicitly designed for graduate students with non-W-2 fellowship or training grant income. That means I won't waste your time covering topics irrelevant to you.
Right off the bat, I clarify exactly which types of grad student income are potentially taxable.

The workshop walks you step-by-step through filling out the Estimated Tax Worksheet in Form 1040-ES, which is how you calculate your income tax due for the year and determine whether you are required to make quarterly payments.


Alternatively, if you want to cut to the chase, I explain a shortcut method that will take you only minutes!

The workshop includes how to handle several special scenarios that are common for grad student fellows, such as:

  • Receiving fellowship and W-2 income simultaneously
  • Switching onto or off of fellowship income during the calendar year
  • Being married (to someone with W-2 income)
  • Being under age 24 on 12/31
  • Having had no tax liability in the prior tax year

Finally, the workshop lays out all your options for actually paying your quarterly estimated tax (if you are required to). There are special payment options available for Quarter 1 and Quarter 4, which are covered as well.

What to Expect from the Workshop
Once you join the workshop, you will have access to the 29 (short!) videos and the spreadsheet to help you with the Estimated Tax Worksheet calculations. You can work through the videos at your own pace.

You will also have access to the next live Q&A call for the workshop, which is in
I'M READY TO DIVE IN TO THE WORKSHOP!
Who Is This Workshop for?
This workshop is for people who:
  • Are graduate and professional students
  • Have grad school fellowship / training grant income — not reported on a Form W-2
  • Are US citizens, permanent residents, and residents for tax purposes
See the "Introduction" video at the bottom of this page for the full exploration of the characteristics of the intended participants.
What Past Workshop Participants Say
"Thanks a lot for your workshop! You provided very digestible instructions for what is an incredibly confusing process. I appreciate it!"

- Cate (2020)
"[I found] the line by line videos [the most valuable]. As a developmentally disabled grad student, this level of detail and 'hand-holding' is rare but necessary for me to successfully complete my tax forms."

- Anonymous (2021)
"I felt overwhelmed and unsure where to even start with everything. Having a guide really helped with the worry and getting my situation under control. I think [the workshop] is really great!"

- Anonymous (2021)
Who Teaches the Workshop?
I'm Emily Roberts, the founder of Personal Finance for PhDs and creator of this workshop.

I started out on the PhD track just like you are. I completed my PhD in biomedical engineering at Duke University in 2014 after living for seven years on a stipend.

During that time, my passion for personal finance grew and grew, as did my desire to serve my own community.

I founded my business, Personal Finance for PhDs, after I defended. Over the years, I've found many avenues to assist PhDs with their personal finances, including speaking engagements at universities, individual and group financial coaching, webinars and workshops, ebooks, and my podcast.

Estimated tax is one of my favorite topics to teach, because learning about it early on can save you from facing a large, unexpected tax bill plus fines months or years down the road.
What Is the Cost?

The price of the workshop is $34 $10.

You will have immediate access to the workshop's videos and spreadsheet for the rest of the tax year, plus can attend any of the remaining Q&A calls for the year (at least one per quarter).

The next estimated tax deadline is in
I WANT TO FINALIZE
MY TAX PAYMENT ASAP!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Workshop
How much time does the workshop take?

The workshop includes 29 short, narrowly defined videos, so you can easily choose to watch only the ones relevant to your particular situation. If you have a simple situation, you can complete the workshop in about an hour, or even minutes if you use the shortcut method.

What if I have a quick question?

I provide an FAQ document that reflects the common questions that workshop participants asked during the Q&A call in previous years. If your question is in that document, you will read a quick answer and find out which video(s) are the right ones to watch.

Do I need to know anything about taxes?

The workshop assumes you have no familiarity with the tax system and explains everything you need to know from the ground up.

When are the estimated tax deadlines?

The 2024 estimated tax deadlines are:

  • April 15, 2024
  • June 17, 2024
  • September 16, 2024
  • January 15, 2025 (or January 31, 2025 if you submit your tax return by that date)
Do I need to fill out any tax forms? They are intimidating!

You only need to fill out a handful of lines on the Estimated Tax Worksheet, and the workshop includes a spreadsheet to assist you with the calculations if you find the instructions confusing.

What if I have questions that the workshop videos don't answer?

The workshop walks you step by step through everything you need to know, and if you are ever unclear about something, you can come to a live Q&A call to clear it up!

When are the Q&A calls?

I will host at least one Q&A call in the couple of weeks leading up to each quarterly deadline.

  • Friday, April 12, 2024 at 1:00 PM PT
  • Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 10:00 AM PT
  • Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 10:00 AM PT
  • Friday, September 13, 2024 at 12:00 PM PT
  • Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 12:00 PM PT
  • Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 9:00 AM PT
  • Monday, January 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM PT
What if I have a question but can't make it to the next live Q&A call?

In addition to live Q&A calls, you also have the opportunity to submit your questions in writing at any time. All submitted questions are posted and answered in writing in the Q&A module.

What is your refund policy?
I offer a satisfaction guarantee with this workshop, so if for whatever reason you realize it's not a good fit for you, simply email [email protected] and I will refund the purchase price.
Can I purchase this for my department/program/group?
Absolutely! I discount the workshop price to $25 per person for bulk purchases and offer a volume bonus. Please email me ([email protected]) to set up the purchase.
Since You've Read This Far...
Check out a sample of the course content!

This is the Introduction video (2023 version).
LET'S GET STARTED!