You would think this is an easy question to get a straightforward answer to from the accountant who prepares my tax return (!!!), but no, and so sadly I am resigned to asking a group of strangers on an internet forum about bicycles.

Does paying -- or not paying -- estimated taxes quarterly impact my total tax liability for the year?

In other words, if I pay $N,000 in estimated Federal taxes per quarter, does that change (lower or raise) the total taxes that I'm liable for for the year when preparing my 2022 return next Spring? or does it just reduce the amount of tax that I owe at that time?

Thanks.