Self-Employment Tax Calculator
2026 Social Security and Medicare tax on self-employment income.
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Enter your numbers to see the result.
This self-employment tax calculator estimates the 2026 Social Security and Medicare tax you owe on freelance, 1099 or sole-proprietor income. It applies the 15.3% rate to 92.35% of your net profit, caps the Social Security part at the 2026 wage base of $184,500 (reduced by any W-2 wages), adds the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above the threshold, and shows the half of SE tax you can deduct.
What is a Self-Employment Tax Calculator?
Self-employment (SE) tax is how freelancers, independent contractors and sole proprietors pay Social Security and Medicare. Employees split these taxes with their employer, each paying 7.65%. When you work for yourself you pay both halves, for a total of 15.3%.
The tax applies to net earnings from self-employment, which is 92.35% of your net profit. For 2026 the Social Security part (12.4%) stops at the wage base of $184,500, while the Medicare part (2.9%) has no cap. This self-employment tax calculator works through those steps for you, including any W-2 wages that use up part of the wage base.
How does the Self-Employment Tax Calculator work?
Net profit is multiplied by 92.35%. Social Security tax is 12.4% of that amount up to the 2026 wage base minus any W-2 wages. Medicare is 2.9% of all net earnings. An extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 (single and head of household) or $250,000 (married filing jointly), reduced by W-2 wages. Half of the 15.3% SE tax is deductible from income.
How to use the Self-Employment Tax Calculator step by step
- Enter your net self-employment profit from Schedule C (income minus business expenses).
- Enter any W-2 wages from a job.
- Choose your filing status.
- Read your 2026 SE tax and its parts.
- Note the half-SE-tax deduction for your income tax.
- Set aside the quarterly amount for estimated payments.
Self-Employment Tax Calculator example with real numbers
Priya is a freelance designer filing single. Her 2026 net profit on Schedule C is $80,000 and she has no W-2 job.
| Example input | Value |
|---|---|
| Net self-employment profit (Schedule C) | $80,000 |
| W-2 wages also earned (optional) | $0 |
| Filing status | Single |
| Example output | Value |
|---|---|
| 2026 self-employment tax | $11,304 |
| Net earnings (92.35% of profit) | $73,880 |
| Social Security part (12.4%) | $9,161 |
| Medicare part (2.9%) | $2,143 |
| Additional Medicare Tax (0.9%) | $0 |
| Deduction for half of SE tax | $5,652 |
| Quarterly set-aside for SE tax | $2,826 |
Her net earnings are $73,880, and the self-employment tax calculator shows $11,304 of SE tax. She can deduct $5,652 when working out her income tax.
Key features of this Self-Employment Tax Calculator
- 2026 wage base of $184,500
- W-2 wage offset
- Additional Medicare Tax
- Half-SE-tax deduction
- Quarterly set-aside
Who should use the Self-Employment Tax Calculator?
Who is this Self-Employment Tax Calculator for?
- Freelancers and gig workers
- 1099 independent contractors
- Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs
- People with a side business and a W-2 job
Practical use cases
- Estimating tax before filing
- Setting quarterly estimated payments
- Pricing freelance work
- Comparing side income with a job
Key benefits
- Up to date: 2026 figures.
- Complete: wage base, W-2 offset and extra Medicare.
- Practical: quarterly set-aside.
- Private: runs in your browser.
Tips for better results
- Track every business expense; they lower net profit and SE tax.
- Pay estimated taxes quarterly to avoid penalties.
- Contributions to a SEP or solo 401(k) reduce income tax but not SE tax.
- Keep records of mileage and home office use.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying 15.3% to the full profit instead of 92.35%.
- Forgetting the wage base when you also have a W-2 job.
- Ignoring income tax on top of SE tax.
- Not deducting half of SE tax.
Limitations of this Self-Employment Tax Calculator
- It does not compute income tax; use the quarterly estimated tax calculator for that.
- Church employee income and farm optional methods are not covered.
- Married filing separately thresholds are not included.
Self-Employment Tax Calculator vs other ways to calculate
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| SE tax rate | 15.3% (12.4% + 2.9%) |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 |
| Net earnings factor | 92.35% |
| Additional Medicare threshold | $200,000 single / $250,000 joint |
| Minimum net earnings | $400 |
To plan payments for income tax and SE tax together, use the quarterly estimated tax calculator. To set prices, try the freelancer rate calculator.
Privacy and data handling
This Self-Employment Tax Calculator runs entirely in your browser. The numbers you type are not sent to Qorico or stored on any server, and nothing is saved after you close the page. The Copy and Download buttons create the result on your own device. If the page has analytics turned on, it may count that a calculation happened, but it does not record the values you entered.
Self-Employment Tax Calculator FAQs
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security (up to $184,500 of net earnings) and 2.9% for Medicare.
How much is SE tax on $50,000?
About $7,065: $50,000 × 92.35% × 15.3%.
Do I pay SE tax if I also have a W-2 job?
Yes, but W-2 wages reduce the Social Security wage base left for self-employment income.
Can I deduct self-employment tax?
You can deduct half of it as an adjustment to income.
Is there a minimum income for SE tax?
Yes. You owe SE tax only if net earnings are $400 or more.
Is SE tax the same as income tax?
No. SE tax funds Social Security and Medicare. Income tax is calculated separately.
Related tools
Sources and references
We checked the method and the current figures used in this Self-Employment Tax Calculator against these official and primary sources:
- IRS: Self-employment tax
- IRS: Estimated taxes
- Social Security Administration
- IRS: Schedule SE (Form 1040)
Written and reviewed by the Qorico Team
