Self-Employment Tax Calculator (US)
Estimate US self-employment tax on your freelance or 1099 profit. Free, no signup, with the formula below.
How do I use the self-employment tax calculator?
- Enter your yearly profit in Net business profit ($). Use profit after business expenses, not gross income.
- Read the SE tax base, the estimated SE tax and its share of your profit.
It uses 2026 rates and the 2026 Social Security wage base from the SSA. You can save or share a result.
How is self-employment tax calculated?
There are two steps:
- SE tax base = net profit × 92.35%
- SE tax = base × 15.3%, which is 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare (2026 rates, SSA)
Why 92.35%? It’s 100% minus 7.65%, the employer half of 15.3%, mirroring how employees aren’t taxed on their employer’s share (IRS Topic No. 554).
Example with $60,000 of net profit:
- Base: $60,000 × 0.9235 = $55,410
- SE tax: $55,410 × 0.153 = $8,477.73
- That’s about 14.13% of your net profit.
What changes at higher incomes?
Social Security cap. For 2026, the 12.4% Social Security part applies only to the first $184,500 of your SE tax base, according to the SSA contribution and benefit base. The 2.9% Medicare part has no cap. The cap starts to matter at about $199,783 of net profit. The calculator assumes no W-2 wages, which count toward the same limit.
Example with $250,000 of net profit:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| SE tax base (× 0.9235) | $230,875 |
| Social Security: $184,500 × 12.4% | $22,878 |
| Medicare: $230,875 × 2.9% | $6,695.38 |
| Total SE tax | $29,573.38 |
That’s about 11.83% of net profit.
Additional Medicare Tax. For 2026, the IRS adds 0.9% on self-employment income above $200,000 for single filers, $250,000 married filing jointly and $125,000 married filing separately (IRS Topic No. 554). The calculator doesn’t include it. For a single filer with $250,000 of net profit and no wages, that’s 0.9% × ($230,875 − $200,000) ≈ $277.88 more.
Can you deduct half of self-employment tax?
Yes. For 2026, the IRS lets you deduct one-half of your self-employment tax when figuring your adjusted gross income. In the $60,000 example, that’s $8,477.73 ÷ 2 = $4,238.87.
It lowers income tax, not the self-employment tax itself. This calculator doesn’t apply it; to see the effect, enter it as an additional deduction in our income tax calculator.
Self-employment tax FAQs
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
The rate is 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare (SSA, 2026). It applies to 92.35% of your net self-employment earnings. The 12.4% part stops at the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above IRS thresholds, such as $200,000 for single filers.
Do I pay self-employment tax if I earn less than $400?
Generally, no. Under current IRS rules (2026), you must pay self-employment tax if your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more. If your net earnings are under $400, the calculator shows "Generally, no" instead of an amount. If your earnings are close to $400, check the IRS Schedule SE instructions.
Is self-employment tax the same as income tax?
No. Self-employment tax is the Social Security and Medicare tax for people who work for themselves. Income tax is separate and depends on your total income, deductions and filing status, so you may owe both. This calculator estimates only self-employment tax. For a rough income tax figure, use our income tax calculator.
Do I need to pay self-employment tax quarterly?
Self-employment tax is usually paid through estimated tax, along with income tax. For 2026, the IRS says individuals generally have to make estimated payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file, and the year is split into four payment periods. IRS Form 1040-ES has the worksheet and due dates.
Official sources: IRS Topic No. 554, Self-employment tax; SSA, Contribution and benefit base (2026); IRS, Estimated taxes.
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