Self Employment Tax Calculator
Estimate self-employment tax on 1099 and freelance income, for tax years 2024 to 2027. Free, no sign-up, and everything is calculated in your browser.
Last updated: . Figures verified against IRS and SSA sources on 2026-10-24.
Self employment tax calculator
Estimated self-employment tax, 2026, single
$7,064.78
Social Security $5,725.70 + Medicare $1,339.08, on $46,175.00 of net earnings (92.35% of $50,000.00 net profit). That is 14.13% of net profit.
Deductible half for income tax: $3,532.39. Self-employment tax share of each quarterly payment: about $1,766.20.
Not tax advice. This calculator is for education and estimates only. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified tax professional or IRS.gov. The amounts above start from the worked example; replace them with your own.
Line by line
Approximately mirrors Schedule SE. Line numbers follow recent forms and can change from year to year.
| Line | What it is | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lines 2 and 3 | Net profitGross income minus business expenses, not below zero. | $50,000.00 |
| Line 4a | Net earnings from self-employmentNet profit × 92.35%. | $46,175.00 |
| Line 7 | Social Security wage base, 2026 | $184,500.00 |
| Line 8d | W-2 Social Security wages | $0.00 |
| Line 9 | Wage base left for this incomeLine 7 minus line 8d, not below zero. | $184,500.00 |
| Line 10 | Social Security part12.4% × $46,175.00, the smaller of line 4a and line 9. | $5,725.70 |
| Line 11 | Medicare part2.9% × $46,175.00. | $1,339.08 |
| Line 12 | Self-employment taxLine 10 plus line 11, each rounded to the cent first. | $7,064.78 |
| Line 13 | Deductible half of self-employment taxReduces income subject to income tax, not self-employment tax. | $3,532.39 |
| Form 8959 | Additional Medicare Tax (separate)0.9% × net earnings above $200,000.00. Not deductible. | $0.00 |
| Total with Additional Medicare Tax | $7,064.78 | |
| Self-employment tax as a share of net profit | 14.13% |
Quarterly estimated payments, tax year 2026
Each row is the self-employment tax part (including any Additional Medicare Tax) divided by four. Federal income tax is separate and also has to be estimated for Form 1040-ES.
| Payment | Period and due date | SE tax share |
|---|---|---|
| Payment 1 | Q1 (Jan 1 to Mar 31)Due Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | $1,766.20 |
| Payment 2 | Q2 (Apr 1 to May 31)Due Monday, June 15, 2026 | $1,766.20 |
| Payment 3 | Q3 (Jun 1 to Aug 31)Due Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | $1,766.20 |
| Payment 4 | Q4 (Sep 1 to Dec 31)Due Friday, January 15, 2027 | $1,766.20 |
Short answer
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit: 12.4% for Social Security up to a yearly wage base ($184,500 in 2026) plus 2.9% for Medicare with no cap. On $50,000 of net profit in 2026 it is $7,064.78. Half of it is deductible when you figure income tax.
How much is self employment tax?
Self-employment tax is the Social Security and Medicare tax you pay on your own business income, because no employer is paying half for you. The rate is 15.3% (12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare), but it applies to 92.35% of your net profit, so the effective rate on profit is about 14.13% until you reach the Social Security wage base.
Above the wage base ($184,500.00 in 2026), the 12.4% part stops and only the 2.9% Medicare part continues, with no cap. W-2 wages count against the same wage base, which is why the calculator has a field for them. High earners can also owe the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax, shown separately because it is a different tax on a different form.
The same figures are used for a self employment tax calculator 2025 estimate and for 2024 and 2027; choose the year at the top. The year changes only the Social Security wage base.
Self employment tax calculation formula
This is the regular method on Schedule SE, in the order the calculator follows it. Each percentage result is rounded to the cent, and later lines add the rounded parts.
- Net profit = gross income − business expenses (not below zero).
- Net earnings = net profit × 92.35%.
- If net earnings are under $400, self-employment tax is $0.
- Social Security part = 12.4% × the smaller of net earnings and (wage base − W-2 wages, not below zero).
- Medicare part = 2.9% × net earnings.
- Self-employment tax = Social Security part + Medicare part.
- Deductible half = self-employment tax × 50%. It reduces income tax, not self-employment tax.
- Additional Medicare Tax = 0.9% × (net earnings − the threshold reduced by Medicare wages, not below zero). The thresholds are single $200,000, married filing jointly $250,000, married filing separately $125,000, head of household $200,000, qualifying surviving spouse $200,000.
That is the whole calculation, so you can check any result by hand even with scripts turned off.
Self employment tax calculation example
A single filer in 2026 receives $60,000.00 on 1099-NEC forms and has $10,000.00 of business expenses. This is the example the calculator starts with.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Net profit | $60,000.00 − $10,000.00 | $50,000.00 |
| Net earnings | $50,000.00 × 92.35% | $46,175.00 |
| Social Security | $46,175.00 × 12.4% (under the $184,500.00 wage base) | $5,725.70 |
| Medicare | $46,175.00 × 2.9% = 1,339.075, rounded to the cent | $1,339.08 |
| Self-employment tax | $5,725.70 + $1,339.08 | $7,064.78 |
| Deductible half | $7,064.78 × 50% | $3,532.39 |
| Quarterly share | $7,064.78 ÷ 4, rounded to the cent | $1,766.20 |
The effective rate is 14.13% of net profit. The $3,532.39 deduction lowers adjusted gross income when you figure income tax, which is calculated separately.
A higher-income example
With $250,000.00 of net profit in 2026, net earnings are $230,875.00. Social Security stops at the wage base: 12.4% × $184,500.00 = $22,878.00. Medicare is $6,695.38 (2.9% × $230,875.00 = 6,695.375, rounded), so self-employment tax is $29,573.38. Net earnings are $30,875.00 above the $200,000 single threshold, so the Additional Medicare Tax is $277.88 (0.9% × $30,875.00, rounded).
An example with a W-2 job
In 2025 a single filer has $150,000.00 of W-2 wages and $200,000.00 of net profit. Only $26,100.00 of the $176,100.00 Social Security wage base is left, so the Social Security part is $3,236.40 instead of 12.4% of everything. Medicare is $5,356.30. The wages also reduce the $200,000 threshold to $50,000.00, so $134,700.00 of net earnings owes the 0.9% tax: $1,212.30.
Self employment tax calculator with deductions
Two different deductions are involved, and they work in different places.
- Business expenses come off your income first. They reduce net profit, so they reduce self-employment tax and income tax. Enter them in the expenses field. Typical examples are software, supplies, professional fees and the business share of a phone, if they qualify under the IRS rules for your situation.
- The half-of-self-employment-tax deduction comes after. It is half of the result ($3,532.39 in the example) and lowers the income that is subject to income tax. It does not lower self-employment tax, and the calculator shows it so you can carry it to your income tax estimate.
- Not here: the standard deduction, itemized deductions and the qualified business income deduction affect income tax only, so they do not change this result.
1099 tax calculator: what to enter
If you work as an independent contractor, clients may send you a Form 1099-NEC for what they paid you, and payment apps and marketplaces may send a 1099-K. Add up everything you earned from self-employment, including income with no form, and enter it as gross income. Then enter the expenses of the business.
This works as a 1099 calculator for taxes on the self-employment side: it returns the Social Security and Medicare tax on the profit. Income tax is a separate calculation that depends on your other income, filing status and deductions. A payer's reporting threshold does not decide whether income is taxable.
Quarterly estimated taxes for 1099 income
Nobody withholds tax from 1099 income, so you generally pay it during the year with Form 1040-ES estimated payments. The IRS says to consider paying when you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year. To avoid an underpayment penalty, the usual safe harbors are paying at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax (110% for higher-income filers); read the IRS page for the exact rules.
The result above divides your self-employment tax (plus any Additional Medicare Tax) by four. That is only the self-employment part of each payment; add your estimated income tax to get the amount to send. The 2026 payment dates are April 15, 2026; June 15, 2026; September 15, 2026; January 15, 2027. When a date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the next business day. Check IRS.gov for any announced change.
For a quarterly estimated tax calculator for self employed workers, a good habit is to run this tool each quarter with your year-to-date or projected profit.
Self employment tax rates and Social Security limits, 2024 to 2027
| Tax year | Social Security wage base | Most Social Security tax from SE income | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $168,600 | $20,906.40 | 2.9%, no cap |
| 2025 | $176,100 | $21,836.40 | 2.9%, no cap |
| 2026 | $184,500 | $22,878.00 | 2.9%, no cap |
| 2027 (SSA-announced base) | $192,300 | $23,845.20 | 2.9%, no cap |
The wage base is the SSA contribution and benefit base, from the Social Security Administration. The 2027 figure is the amount announced for 2027; the other rules for 2027 can still change before that year's forms are published. If you also have W-2 wages, the maximum is lower, because wages use up part of the base.
| Filing status | Additional Medicare Tax threshold |
|---|---|
| Single | $200,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $250,000 |
| Married filing separately | $125,000 |
| Head of household | $200,000 |
| Qualifying surviving spouse | $200,000 |
What this calculator does not cover
It estimates one thing, federal self-employment tax under the regular Schedule SE method, plus the Additional Medicare Tax. It does not calculate:
- federal income tax, state or local taxes, or the qualified business income deduction;
- the optional methods for figuring net earnings;
- income of church employees, farm income and fishing income;
- partnership or S corporation specifics, including guaranteed payments and shareholder pay;
- fiscal-year filers, nonresident aliens or other special situations;
- credits, penalties or interest, including an underpayment penalty.
If any of these apply, use the IRS instructions or a qualified tax professional.
Self employment tax calculator FAQ
How much is self employment tax?
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit, which is 12.4% for Social Security up to a yearly wage base plus 2.9% for Medicare with no cap. On $50,000.00 of net profit in 2026 it is $7,064.78, or 14.13% of the profit. An extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to high earners.
Is this self employment tax calculator free?
Yes. It is free, needs no account, and runs entirely in your browser, so the amounts you type are not sent to a server. It is an estimate for education, not tax advice.
What is the self employment tax rate for 2026 and 2025?
The rates are the same: 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare, applied to 92.35% of net profit. Only the Social Security wage base changes: $176,100.00 for 2025 and $184,500.00 for 2026. Income above the wage base owes the 2.9% Medicare part only (plus 0.9% above the Additional Medicare Tax threshold).
Do I owe self employment tax if I get a 1099?
Self-employment tax applies when your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more, whether or not a payer sends you a 1099. A 1099-NEC or 1099-K is a report of what you were paid; the tax is on your net profit after business expenses.
Do business expenses lower self employment tax?
Yes. Self-employment tax is figured on net profit, so deductible business expenses reduce it. In the example above, $10,000.00 of expenses on $60,000.00 of income lowers net profit to $50,000.00. Personal deductions such as the standard deduction do not reduce self-employment tax.
What is the deduction for half of self employment tax?
You can deduct the employer-equivalent half of your self-employment tax (Schedule SE line 13) when figuring income tax. It lowers your adjusted gross income but not the self-employment tax itself. In the example that deduction is $3,532.39.
How do I calculate quarterly estimated taxes for 1099 income?
Estimate the year's self-employment tax and income tax, then pay in four installments with Form 1040-ES. This calculator shows the self-employment tax share of each payment (the total divided by four). Income tax is separate and must also be estimated. For tax year 2026 the dates are April 15, 2026, June 15, 2026, September 15, 2026, January 15, 2027.
What is the Additional Medicare Tax?
It is a 0.9% tax on earnings above $200,000 for single, head of household and qualifying surviving spouse filers, $250,000 for married filing jointly and $125,000 for married filing separately. The threshold is reduced by your Medicare wages, so a W-2 job lowers the amount of self-employment income that is free of it. It is reported on Form 8959 and is not deductible.
Does this include state or income tax?
No. It estimates federal self-employment tax and the Additional Medicare Tax only. Federal income tax, state and local taxes, the qualified business income deduction, credits and optional methods are not calculated.
Why is there a $400 minimum?
If your net earnings from self-employment (net profit times 92.35%) are under $400, you do not owe self-employment tax. A net profit of $433 gives $399.88 and no tax; $434 gives $400.80 and $61.32 of tax.
Sources
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)15.3% rate (12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare), the $400 rule, the deduction for the employer-equivalent half, and the Additional Medicare Tax thresholds.
- IRS: Schedule SE (Form 1040) PDFThe form: line 4a (92.35%), the maximum amount subject to Social Security tax, and line 13 (50% deduction).
- IRS: Instructions for Schedule SELine-by-line instructions, including the Additional Medicare Tax and how wages reduce its threshold.
- SSA: Contribution and benefit baseSocial Security contribution and benefit base by year: 2024 $168,600; 2025 $176,100; 2026 $184,500; 2027 $192,300.
- IRS: About Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee CompensationWhat nonemployee compensation reporting is.
- IRS: Estimated taxes (Form 1040-ES)Form 1040-ES, quarterly payments, the $1,000 rule and the 90% and 100% safe harbors.
- IRS: Questions and answers for the Additional Medicare TaxHow the 0.9% tax and its thresholds work.
Last updated: . Figures verified against IRS and SSA sources on 2026-10-24.
This calculator is for education and estimates only. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified tax professional or IRS.gov.