1099 & Self-Employment Tax Calculator: Know What You Owe Before You Spend It
Estimate your self-employment tax, federal income tax, and quarterly payments, for US freelancers & 1099 contractors. No signup, results in seconds.
Revenue minus deductible business expenses
What is a Freelance Tax Calculator?
A 1099 or self-employment tax calculator estimates what a self-employed worker owes the IRS, combining the 15.3% self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare) with federal income tax on the remaining profit, and splits the total into four quarterly estimated payments.
- 15.3% SE tax: 12.4% Social Security (up to the $184,500 wage base) + 2.9% Medicare, no cap
- Only 92.35% of net profit is subject to self-employment tax, per IRS Schedule SE
- Splits the total into 4 quarterly due-date payments: Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Jan 15
How to Use the Freelance Tax Calculator
Enter your net profit
Type your annual self-employment income after business expenses.
Pick your filing status
Single or Married Filing Jointly: this changes your tax brackets.
Add any W-2 wages (optional)
If you also have a day job, add those wages so we don't double-count your Social Security cap.
Get your quarterly breakdown
See your total tax owed split into four IRS due-date payments.
What You Get
- Full self-employment tax breakdown (Social Security + Medicare + Additional Medicare)
- 2026 federal income tax brackets, applied progressively
- Automatic quarterly payment split with IRS due dates
- Accounts for W-2 wages against the Social Security wage base
- Optional state tax add-on field
- CSV export of the full bracket-by-bracket breakdown
Real 2026 IRS Numbers
Built on the actual 2026 SE tax rate, wage base, and federal brackets, not a flat rule-of-thumb percentage.
Quarterly, Not Just Annual
See the four exact due-date payments so you're never caught off guard by an April surprise.
W-2 + 1099 Aware
Have a day job and freelance on the side? We net your W-2 wages against the Social Security cap automatically.
Private by Default
Every number stays in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to save your result.
Freelance Tax Calculator vs. a Flat 30% Rule of Thumb
| This Calculator | Flat 30% Rule | |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts for the 92.35% SE-tax factor | Yes | No |
| Splits SS vs. Medicare vs. income tax | Yes | No |
| Adjusts for existing W-2 wages | Yes | No |
| Gives exact quarterly due-date amounts | Yes | No |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
✕ Entering gross revenue instead of net profit
Overestimates tax owed
Do instead: Subtract deductible business expenses first. This tool taxes net profit, not gross invoiced revenue.
✕ Forgetting W-2 wages
Overestimates Social Security tax
Do instead: If you have any W-2 job this year, enter those wages; they count against the same $184,500 Social Security wage base.
✕ Assuming all profit is SE-taxable
Off by ~7.65%
Do instead: Only 92.35% of net profit is subject to self-employment tax. This calculator applies that factor automatically.
✕ Ignoring the SE tax deduction
Overestimates federal income tax
Do instead: Half your self-employment tax is deductible from income before federal tax applies. Don't skip this step if calculating by hand.
✕ Missing the Additional Medicare surtax
Underestimates tax at high income
Do instead: Above $200,000 (Single) or $250,000 (MFJ) combined income, an extra 0.9% Medicare surtax applies. Factor it in past that threshold.
✕ Paying the annual total in one lump sum
IRS underpayment penalty risk
Do instead: Pay the quarterly amounts by their due dates (Apr 15 / Jun 15 / Sep 15 / Jan 15) instead of one year-end payment.
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FAQs: Freelance Tax Calculator
How much should I set aside from every freelance payment for taxes?
Most freelancers set aside 25–30% of net profit. This calculator gives you your exact effective rate: for a single filer earning $80,000 net, that's about 23.5% once you factor in the self-employment tax deduction and standard deduction.
What's the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security (up to the $184,500 wage base) and 2.9% for Medicare, which has no cap. Only 92.35% of your net profit is subject to this tax, per IRS Schedule SE rules.
Do I still owe self-employment tax if I have a W-2 job too?
Yes, but your W-2 wages count first against the $184,500 Social Security wage base, so freelancers with a day job often owe less Social Security tax on their side income than someone freelancing full-time.
When are quarterly estimated tax payments due?
April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year. This calculator splits your annual estimate into those four equal payments automatically.
Does this calculator include state taxes?
Not by default: state tax rules vary too widely to estimate accurately. There's an optional flat state-rate field so you can add your own estimate to the total.
What counts as net profit for this calculator?
Your total freelance revenue minus deductible business expenses: software, home-office costs, contractor payments, mileage, and so on. Enter the number after those deductions, not your gross invoiced total.
Is this exact enough to file with?
It's a planning estimate, not a substitute for a CPA or tax software at filing time, but it's built on the real 2026 IRS rates and brackets, so it's accurate enough to budget your quarterly set-asides.
Is this calculator free to use?
Yes, unlimited calculations, no signup, no watermark. Every number stays in your browser unless you choose to save your result to a free Taskip account.