Self-Employed Tax Calculator for 2026 US Federal Tax

This self-employed tax calculator estimates US federal
self-employment tax for tax year 2026. It calculates the Social Security
and Medicare components from business net profit and accounts for Social
Security wages already earned from a job. It does not calculate a
complete income-tax return, state tax, deductions, credits or every
special situation.

2026 rates used by the
calculator

Self-employment tax is generally 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and
2.9% for Medicare. The calculation normally applies to 92.35% of net
self-employment earnings, not gross revenue.

For 2026, the Social Security contribution and benefit base is
$184,500. Wages subject to Social Security reduce the portion of
self-employment earnings exposed to the 12.4% component. The 2.9%
Medicare component has no equivalent wage ceiling.

An additional 0.9% Medicare tax may apply above a filing-status
threshold: $200,000 for single or head of household, $250,000 for
married filing jointly and $125,000 for married filing separately. That
threshold considers covered wages and self-employment compensation. It
is not multiplied by 92.35% in exactly the same way as regular
self-employment tax, so this calculator states the simplifying inputs it
uses.

How to estimate
self-employment tax

Start with business net profit after ordinary deductible business
expenses. The core estimate is:

Net earnings = net profit × 92.35%

Social Security portion = 12.4% × the smaller of net earnings
or remaining 2026 wage base

Medicare portion = 2.9% × net earnings

If net profit is $80,000 and there are no Social Security wages from
employment, estimated net earnings are $73,880. The regular
self-employment tax estimate is $9,161.12 for Social Security plus
$2,142.52 for Medicare, or $11,303.64 before any additional Medicare
tax.

The IRS generally requires Schedule SE when net earnings from
self-employment are $400 or more, although special cases apply. Enter
negative or unusually complex business results only after reviewing the
relevant instructions.

Is
self-employment tax the same as income tax?

No. Self-employment tax funds Social Security and Medicare. Federal
income tax is calculated separately from taxable income, filing status,
deductions, credits and other household income. State and local tax may
also apply.

A useful quarterly estimate therefore combines the calculated
self-employment tax with a separate income-tax projection. The
calculator allows an optional projected federal income-tax amount, then
subtracts expected withholding and prior estimated payments. It does not
guess an income-tax rate from revenue alone.

How much
should a self-employed person set aside?

There is no universal percentage. A freelancer with low taxable
income, substantial withholding from a spouse’s wages and no state
income tax may need a different reserve from a high-income owner in a
high-tax state.

Use the calculator’s result as one component. Add projected federal
income tax and applicable state or local tax, then divide the remaining
annual liability by the payments left. Keep tax money in a separate
account so operating expenses do not consume it.

When are
quarterly estimated payments required?

Estimated payments may be needed when withholding and refundable
credits will not cover enough tax. IRS Publication 505 provides current
rules, worksheets, safe-harbor tests and payment dates. The four
installments are not always evenly spaced by calendar quarter, and
special rules may apply to uneven income, farmers, fishers and
higher-income taxpayers.

Recalculate after a major contract, a loss, a change in wages or a
change in filing status. Retain records supporting revenue and expenses
rather than treating bank deposits as final taxable profit.

What can make this
estimate inaccurate?

Multiple businesses, church employee income, partnerships, optional
methods, railroad compensation, community-property rules, nonresident
status and income near the additional Medicare threshold may require a
more detailed calculation. The deductible employer-equivalent portion of
self-employment tax affects federal income tax, but it does not reduce
the self-employment tax shown here.

Use the estimate for planning, compare it with Schedule SE and Form
1040-ES, and consult a qualified US tax professional when facts are
material or unclear. Rates and thresholds should be reviewed every tax
year.

Sources

• IRS
  — Self-employment tax
• IRS Publication 505
  — Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax (2026)
• Social Security
  Administration — Contribution and benefit base