Self-employment tax calculator for 1099 income (2026)
Multiply your net profit by 92.35%, then apply 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security up to the wage base ($184,500 in 2026) and 2.9% for Medicare on all of it. $60,000 of profit means about $8,477.73 of self-employment tax, and you can deduct half of it, $4,238.87, from your income.
Inputs used by this calculator
Self-Employment Tax Calculator uses the fields below. The starting values reproduce the page example; replace them with values from the same units and time period before using the result.
| Input | Starting example | Accepted value | How it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net self-employment profit ($) | 60,000 | 0 to 10000000000 | Supplies the net self-employment profit ($) quantity used by the published equation or result breakdown. |
| Tax year | 2026 | 2026 · 2025 | Supplies the tax year quantity used by the published equation or result breakdown. |
| Filing status | Single or qualifying surviving spouse | Single or qualifying surviving spouse · Head of household · Married filing jointly · Married filing separately | Chooses which Self-Employment Tax Calculator method or unknown the engine evaluates. |
| W-2 wages this year ($) | 0 | 0 to 10000000000 | Supplies the w-2 wages this year ($) quantity used by the published equation or result breakdown. |
- Net profit
- × 92.35%
- 12.4% + 2.9%
What self-employment tax is
Employees split Social Security and Medicare tax with their employer: 7.65% each. When you work for yourself you pay both halves, 15.3% in total, through Schedule SE with your Form 1040. It applies to sole proprietors, independent contractors paid on a 1099, single-member LLCs and partners in a partnership.
The 92.35% rule
The tax is not charged on your full profit. You first multiply it by 92.35%, which mirrors the fact that an employer's half of the tax is not part of an employee's wages. If the result is under $400, you owe no self-employment tax for the year.
net earnings = net profit × 0.9235Additional Medicare Tax
An extra 0.9% applies to wages and self-employment income above $200,000 for single and head-of-household filers, $250,000 for married couples filing jointly and $125,000 for married filing separately. Wages count first and reduce the threshold left for self-employment income. It is reported on Form 8959, and none of it is deductible.
Deducting half and paying through the year
Half of the regular self-employment tax is an adjustment to income on Schedule 1, which lowers income tax but not the self-employment tax itself. Because no employer withholds it, most freelancers pay estimated tax four times a year with Form 1040-ES. The quarterly figure shown here covers self-employment tax only; add your expected income tax.
Lowering the bill legally
Every deductible business expense reduces profit and therefore the tax. Tracking mileage, a home office, equipment and health insurance premiums matters more than any rate trick. Some owners elect S-corporation status to pay part of their income as wages; that has payroll costs and reasonable-salary rules, so it needs a tax professional.
2026 self-employment tax by profit
| Net profit | SE tax | Deductible half | Share of profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $2,825.91 | $1,412.96 | 14.1% |
| $40,000 | $5,651.82 | $2,825.91 | 14.1% |
| $60,000 | $8,477.73 | $4,238.87 | 14.1% |
| $80,000 | $11,303.64 | $5,651.82 | 14.1% |
| $100,000 | $14,129.55 | $7,064.78 | 14.1% |
| $150,000 | $21,194.32 | $10,597.16 | 14.1% |
| $200,000 | $28,234.30 | $14,117.15 | 14.1% |
| $250,000 | $29,573.38 | $14,786.69 | 11.8% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3% on 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% for Social Security up to $184,500 of net earnings and 2.9% for Medicare with no limit.
How much self-employment tax will I pay on $50,000?
About $7,064.78: $50,000 × 92.35% × 15.3%.
Do I pay self-employment tax if I made less than $400?
No. If 92.35% of your net profit is under $400, you do not owe self-employment tax, although you may still need to file an income tax return.
Is self-employment tax the same as income tax?
No. It funds Social Security and Medicare and is added to your income tax on Form 1040. Both are owed on the same profit.
Can I deduct self-employment tax?
Half of the regular 15.3% tax is deductible as an adjustment to income. Additional Medicare Tax is not.
Does a W-2 job change my self-employment tax?
Only above the wage base. W-2 wages use up the Social Security limit first, so high earners with both kinds of income pay less of the 12.4% part on their side business.
When do I pay it?
Usually through quarterly estimated payments, due in April, June, September and January, then reconciled on Schedule SE when you file.
What to keep in mind
Estimates Schedule SE and Form 8959 for one person. Income tax, state tax, church-employee income, farm and nonfarm optional methods and a spouse's separate self-employment income are not included.
Results are rounded for display in US format, with money in dollars and cents; CSV exports keep full calculation precision. This is a calculation summary, not an official certificate.
Social Security part and the wage base
The 12.4% Social Security part stops at the wage base: $184,500 for 2026 and $176,100 for 2025. If you also had a W-2 job, those wages count toward the same limit, so enter them to avoid overstating the tax. The 2.9% Medicare part has no limit.
Social Security = 12.4% × min(net earnings, wage base − W-2 wages)Medicare = 2.9% × net earnings