SelfEmploymentTaxEstimator.com

Self-Employment Tax Calculator

What your side income adds to your federal tax, and what to pay next. Free, no signup.

How the Self-Employment Tax Calculator Works

When you work for yourself, you pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare: the share an employee pays and the share an employer would match. The calculator follows Schedule SE for the self-employment tax, then the Form 1040 steps for income tax.

1
Net SE IncomeYour gross self-employment income minus business expenses. This is the profit on Schedule C.
2
SE Tax BaseSE tax applies to 92.35% of that profit. Trimming 7.65% puts you on the same footing as an employee, whose taxable wages never include the employer's share.
3
SE Tax15.3% applies up to the Social Security wage base ($184,500 in 2026), less any W-2 wages that already used part of it. Above that, only the 2.9% Medicare portion applies.
4
SE DeductionHalf of your SE tax comes off your income before federal income tax is figured. It lowers your income tax, not the SE tax itself.
5
QBI DeductionThe qualified business income deduction takes 20% of your side profit (after the SE tax deduction) off your taxable income, capped at 20% of taxable income and phased out at higher incomes.

2026 SE Tax Reference

SE Income Level Social Security Medicare Total SE Tax Rate
Up to SS wage base ($184,500) 12.4% 2.9% 15.3%
Above $184,500 0% 2.9% 2.9%
Above $200K (single) / $250K (MFJ) 0% 3.8% (2.9% + 0.9% surtax) 3.8%

Frequently Asked Questions

It's 15.3% on the first $184,500 of net self-employment earnings: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. Above $184,500, only the 2.9% Medicare tax applies. An extra 0.9% Medicare tax starts once earnings pass $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. For 2025 the Social Security cap was $176,100.
Yes, once your net self-employment earnings reach $400. Your W-2 wages do count toward the Social Security wage base ($184,500 in 2026), though, so a high salary shrinks or wipes out the Social Security part of your SE tax. The 2.9% Medicare part applies to all of your self-employment earnings either way.
Half of it. You take the deduction on Schedule 1 of Form 1040, and it lowers your federal income tax. It does not lower the SE tax itself. The calculator applies it for you.
Money you earn working for yourself: freelance and consulting fees, 1099-NEC payments, gig work through apps like Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart, and sales from a business you own. It counts whether or not anyone sends you a 1099. W-2 wages don't count, and neither do investment income or most rental income.
You generally have to if you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year after withholding and credits. For the 2026 tax year the payments are due April 15, June 15 and Sept. 15, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027. The calculator splits your balance into four equal payments, which is a sensible starting point if your income is steady.
The usual ones are a home office, business mileage, equipment and software, professional fees, subscriptions, advertising and business travel. The 2026 standard mileage rate is 72.5 cents a mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1. Health insurance premiums are deductible too, but on Schedule 1 rather than Schedule C, so they lower income tax and not SE tax. Leave them out of the Business Expenses field above, and keep receipts for everything you do enter.

Tax Calculators by Platform & Profession

Guides for specific apps and jobs, each with its own deduction tips, FAQ and a copy of the calculator.

Tax Guides & Resources

How to Deduct Your Phone and Internet as a Gig Worker New

The business-use percentage for your phone plan and home internet, the records that back it up, and two worked examples showing what a $1,464 claim saves a driver.

Published Oct. 14, 2026
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Year-End Tax Planning Starts Now, Not in December New

October is when year-end tax moves still work. A dated plan through Jan. 15, and an example showing that $3,191 of 2026 savings is worth about $520 once the 2027 side is counted.

Published Oct. 11, 2026
Read guide

Gig Economy Tax Myths: 5 Things People Get Wrong

Five gig tax myths checked against IRS rules: the $600 rule, "my platform handles it," "I can deduct anything," no 1099 and low income. A worked example shows a $41,000 driver owing about $5,752.

Published Oct. 7, 2026
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October 15 Deadline: Extended Returns Are Due

If you filed Form 4868, your 2025 return is due October 15. What waiting costs in penalties and interest (about $381 on a $5,800 balance versus about $672 one day late), two situations that stall people, and an 11-day plan.

Published Oct. 4, 2026
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What Is a 1099-K and What Do You Do With It?

A 1099-K reports gross payments, not profit. The current $20,000 and 200-transaction threshold, six mistakes that inflate or understate income, and how a $23,650 form reconciles to a $9,267 Schedule C profit.

Published Sept. 30, 2026
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Investing Inside Your Solo 401(k): What to Actually Put in There

Your provider sets the paperwork, but the funds you pick drive the balance. How a 1% expense ratio costs a $100,000 balance about $109,765 over 25 years next to a 0.03% index fund, brokerage window versus restricted menu, and a checklist for building a low-cost lineup the same week.

Published Sept. 27, 2026
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All 61 guides
Self Employment Toolkit

From the same publisher as this site: a web app for logging mileage, time and expenses, sending invoices and exporting your year in Schedule C line order. The free tier covers mileage, expenses and invoices, with 10 time entries a month. Pro is $6 a month or $48 a year and adds unlimited time tracking, receipt scanning, the Schedule C year-end bundle and a quarterly tax estimator.

Visit selfemploymenttoolkit.com

Disclaimer

This calculator provides an estimate of your self-employment tax based on the information you provide. Tax laws and rates may change. This tool does not account for all possible deductions, credits, alternative minimum tax, state taxes, or individual circumstances. For accurate tax advice tailored to your specific situation, please consult with a qualified tax professional.

For more information about self-employment taxes, please refer to the IRS Self-Employed Tax Center and IRS Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business).