Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Estimate US self-employment tax (15.3%), federal income tax, and quarterly payment amounts. 2026 brackets. Built for solo freelancers and consultants.
Planning estimate only — not tax advice. Uses 2026 single-filer brackets and standard deduction. State tax not included. Talk to a CPA for actual liability and S-Corp election decisions.
Net earnings (revenue − expenses): $105,000
Estimated federal tax burden
Set aside 26.3% of every payment for federal tax
When a client invoice clears, immediately transfer 26% to a dedicated tax savings account. On a $5,000 payment, that's $1,317. Most freelancers who skip this routine end up under-withheld at year-end. State tax adds 0 to 13% more depending on where you live.
Track every billable hour, never lose a deduction
Flowly tracks your billable hours and lets you tag expenses against projects. At tax time, export a clean income + expense report in one click — no shoebox of receipts.
Start free 14-day trialHow SE tax works in 2026
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on the first $176,100 of net earnings, then 2.9% (Medicare only) on anything above. The IRS uses a quirky calculation where 92.35% of net earnings is the base for SE tax. The effective rate works out to roughly 14.1% on net earnings under the Social Security wage base.
On top of SE tax, you owe federal income tax on net earnings minus half of your SE tax (deductible) minus your standard or itemized deduction. The combined federal rate for a freelancer earning $100K net is typically 22 to 28 percent. State tax adds 0 to 13 percent on top, depending on jurisdiction.
The most common freelancer mistake: spending invoices as they arrive without setting aside tax. By April, the tax bill is a surprise and savings are gone. The fix is a separate tax savings account that you move 25 to 30 percent of every payment to, automatically, on the day the payment clears.