Enter Your Income
Your total freelance/1099 income minus business expenses (Schedule C net profit).
Your Self-Employment Tax Estimate
How Self-Employment Tax Works
When you work as a freelancer or independent contractor, you don't have an employer withholding Social Security and Medicare taxes from your paycheck. Instead, you're responsible for paying both the employer and employee portions — a combined 15.3% known as self-employment tax.
The 15.3% rate breaks down into two parts: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. In 2026, the Social Security portion applies to net earnings up to $176,100. Medicare tax applies to all net earnings, with an additional 0.9% surcharge on earnings above $200,000 for single filers ($250,000 for married filing jointly).
The 92.35% Rule
Before calculating SE tax, the IRS reduces your net self-employment income by 7.65%. This means you only pay SE tax on 92.35% of your net earnings. This adjustment accounts for the fact that employees don't pay FICA on the employer's share of FICA taxes.
Deducting Half of SE Tax
You can deduct half of your self-employment tax from your adjusted gross income (AGI). This deduction reduces your income tax, but not your SE tax. Use our 1099 Income Tax Calculator to see how this deduction affects your total tax bill.
Quarterly Payments
If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year, the IRS requires you to make estimated quarterly payments. Use our Quarterly Tax Estimator to calculate each payment amount and avoid underpayment penalties.