Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Enter your net profit to see your 2026 self-employment tax, the deductible half and an estimate of total federal tax on 1099 income.
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1099 income minus business expenses (Schedule C line 31).
Counts toward the $184,500 Social Security wage base.
Interest, a spouse's wages on a joint return, etc.
- Social Security (12.4%)
- $6,870.84
- Medicare (2.9%)
- $1,606.89
- Deductible half of SE tax
- $4,238.87
- Additional Medicare (0.9%)
- $0.00
- QBI deduction
- $7,932.23
- Federal income tax
- $3,559.47
- Taxable income
- $31,728.91
- Marginal bracket
- 12%
How this was calculated
- Net earnings from self-employment = $60,000.00 × 92.35% = $55,410.00.
- Social Security part = 12.4% × $55,410.00 (2026 wage base $184,500) = $6,870.84.
- Medicare part = 2.9% × $55,410.00 = $1,606.89. Self-employment tax = $8,477.73.
- Half of SE tax is deductible: $4,238.87. AGI = $60,000.00 − $4,238.87 = $55,761.14.
- Taxable income before QBI = $55,761.14 − $16,100.00 standard deduction = $39,661.14.
- QBI deduction = 20% × the smaller of $55,761.14 and $39,661.14 = $7,932.23.
- Federal income tax on $31,728.91 with the 2026 brackets = $3,559.47.
- Total federal = $8,477.73 + $3,559.47 = $12,037.20.
Federal estimate for tax year 2026 with the standard deduction. State tax, credits and retirement contributions are not included. Educational, not tax advice.
Self-employment tax by profit, 2026
| Net profit | SE tax | Deductible half | Share of profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000.00 | $706.48 | $353.24 | 14.13% |
| $10,000.00 | $1,412.96 | $706.48 | 14.13% |
| $25,000.00 | $3,532.39 | $1,766.19 | 14.13% |
| $50,000.00 | $7,064.78 | $3,532.39 | 14.13% |
| $75,000.00 | $10,597.16 | $5,298.58 | 14.13% |
| $100,000.00 | $14,129.55 | $7,064.78 | 14.13% |
| $150,000.00 | $21,194.32 | $10,597.16 | 14.13% |
| $200,000.00 | $28,234.30 | $14,117.15 | 14.12% |
How self-employment tax is calculated
Self-employment tax is the Social Security and Medicare tax for people who work for themselves: freelancers, independent contractors paid on a 1099, gig workers and sole proprietors. An employee splits these taxes with the employer (7.65% each); when you are self-employed you pay both halves, 15.3% in total. This self-employment tax calculator follows Schedule SE for tax year 2026, using the rates on the IRS self-employment tax page:
- Net earnings from self-employment = net profit × 92.35%. If that is under $400, no SE tax is due.
- Social Security part = 12.4% of net earnings, but only up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, minus any W-2 wages you already earned.
- Medicare part = 2.9% of all net earnings, with no cap.
- Half of the result is deductible when you figure your adjusted gross income (Schedule 1).
The 92.35% step exists because an employer's share of FICA is not part of an employee's wages, so the IRS takes the employer-equivalent 7.65% off first. The effect is that SE tax is 15.3% × 92.35% = 14.13% of profit, not 15.3%.
Worked example: $60,000 of 1099 income
A single freelancer with $60,000 of net profit and no other income: net earnings are $55,410. Social Security is $6,870.84 and Medicare $1,606.89, so self-employment tax is $8,477.73. Half of it, $4,238.87, comes off income, which leaves an AGI of $55,761.14 and taxable income of $39,661.14 after the $16,100 standard deduction. The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is 20% of the smaller of business income and taxable income, here $7,932.23, so income tax is figured on $31,728.91: $3,559.47. Total federal tax is $12,037.20, about 20% of profit, or $3,009.30 a quarter if nothing is withheld elsewhere.
If you also have a W-2 job
Wages and self-employment earnings share one Social Security wage base. With $170,000 of W-2 wages, only $14,500 of side income is still subject to the 12.4% part; at $184,500 or more in wages you owe only the 2.9% Medicare part on side income. The 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies once wages and self-employment income together pass $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly); the calculator applies it to the self-employment part as Form 8959 does.
Using this as a 1099 tax calculator
Most 1099 workers owe two federal taxes: self-employment tax and regular income tax. The calculator estimates both with the 2026 brackets and standard deduction from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32. It leaves the QBI deduction out when taxable income is above the 2026 threshold ($201,750, or $403,500 joint), because then it depends on wages your business pays and whether it is a service business. State tax, credits, health insurance and retirement contributions (which lower income tax, not SE tax) are not modeled. Pay the estimate in four installments to avoid an underpayment penalty.
Common mistakes
Applying 15.3% to gross receipts instead of profit after expenses; forgetting the 92.35% step; ignoring the wage base when you also have a job; and treating the deductible half as a credit (it lowers income, not tax). See how the 2027 brackets change your rate in the 2027 tax brackets guide, or compare with a salaried job in the paycheck calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3%: 12.4% Social Security on the first $184,500 of combined wages and net earnings, plus 2.9% Medicare on all net earnings. It applies to 92.35% of your net profit, so the effective rate is about 14.13% of profit.
How much tax do I pay on $50,000 of 1099 income?
Self-employment tax on $50,000 of net profit is about $7,065 (14.13%). For a single filer with no other income, federal income tax adds roughly $2,700 after the standard deduction, half-SE-tax deduction and QBI deduction.
Do I pay self-employment tax if I earn less than $400?
No. If your net earnings from self-employment (92.35% of net profit) are under $400, you do not owe SE tax or need Schedule SE, though the income may still be subject to income tax.
Is self-employment tax deductible?
Half of it is. The employer-equivalent half of SE tax is deducted on Schedule 1 when figuring adjusted gross income. It lowers income tax, not the SE tax itself.
How does a W-2 job change my self-employment tax?
Your W-2 wages use up part of the $184,500 Social Security wage base for 2026, so less of your side income pays the 12.4% part. The 2.9% Medicare part always applies.