I agree with others that suggested you pay estimated taxes quarterly. My H has consulting income in addition to his 9-5 job and we always pay quarterly.
@KKmama, if you don’t live in a parsonage, a minister can take as much of his or her income federal tax free as he or she can allot to a housing allowance, so mortgage payments, upkeep, etc. I’ve known at least one minister with a working spouse who took her entire compensation as the housing allowance.
OP, I’m actually surprised that you don’t have to make estimated tax payments on your rental income already. Is that to do with how it is set up?
I think for psychological reasons you need to figure out how to make more payments from your spouse’s income, or from the rental income directly.
We always pay estimated taxes, and they add up to quite a lot. The income I make at my small nonprofit is variable and minuscule because I hate fund raising and writing grants. It’s enough to keep the org going, so I soldier on anyway. I contribute all the CPA says I can to my nondeductible IRA and then convert it to a Roth IRA. It doesn’t bother me that I don’t earn much.
Once, many years ago, my husband took a job that transferred him to another state. Our plan was for me to stay behind for four months and graduate while selling the house.
After about 8 weeks I realized what a terrible idea it was (had no friends or family where the house was, which was why we were selling it and moving to the other state) and moved as well (two months shy of graduating with a BA-another terrible decision).
That house took 11 months to sell-I worked full time for the 11 months and my entire paycheck went to the mortgage. It was an instructive learning experience, to say the least. :(.
Are you sure that if you earn $X, your total family tax burden goes up by the exact same $X?
^We’re supposed to pay estimated taxes (or deduct more) - hence the penalties for not paying enough in advance of April 15. BunsenBurner the total family tax burden is always more than I gross in a given year because of the rentals, but our state and federal rates amount to about 28% tota (I think - still working on this year’s!).
No, what I am saying is: if you stop getting paid $x, will your tax drop by $x? It might look like your entire pay goes into tax, but if you stop working, what would happen to the AGI and tax owed numbers? Will the latter be reduced by more than the former?
I am trying to get to the answer if your work is a NPV positive project for you.
There is money coming into the family budget from three sources. your pay, your husband’s pay, and the rental properties. The money for the taxes comes from three sources as well. It isn’t that all of your pay is going to the taxes. What is happening is that the total taxes for the whole shebang come to more than your pay and it makes you feel weird.
You need to rearrange your thinking. If you are tired of feeling like all of your income is going to the taxes, then you need to start peeling off some of the rental income each month and directing that straight off to taxes. That way you can look at your paycheck and know that it is contributing to the household.
^Typically we have ended up paying a lot in April (this year also, even though I sent in quite a bit extra last year).
Even though, psychologically, I know that the taxes are due to all the income sources (so only about 1/3 due to what I make), realistically, I could have my entire pay deducted to cover some of the “rental $$ taxes”. It would totally make sense to do so, because it’s more convenient than trying to save up for the quarterly payments. Maybe this fall I’ll bite the bullet and have MOST of it sent. 
Not expecting any adjunct gigs over the summer.
H has has a net check of $0 all of 2016 so far. His company does a lot of whacky things. They are holding all of his post income tax check for his 401 and 401 catch-up contributions.
I’m watching it to make sure they stop at the max contribution and actually start paying him (a previous company did not stop at the max–nightmare for correction, no, it shouldn’t have been)…
This doesn’t bother us, but I’m a CPA and he has an accounting degree. I see how many clients are bothered when most of their check goes to healthcare, and I’ve had clients in low wage jobs actually have to write a check to their employer each month because the family coverage premium was more than their check.