1099 Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Estimate your US 1099 taxes — self-employment tax (15.3%), federal income tax and your quarterly payment.
States with no income tax are set to 0%. Estimate only — adjust for local taxes.
Estimates use 2026 US federal figures (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32): self-employment tax of 15.3% (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base + 2.9% Medicare) plus federal income tax on your net profit after the standard deduction. State and local taxes are only included if you set a state rate above. Simplified estimate for planning only — not tax advice.
Guide: How to estimate your 1099 taxes (and stop guessing)
If you work for yourself — freelancing, contracting, driving, selling online, or running a one-person business — nobody withholds tax from your pay. That is the whole problem this calculator solves: it turns your 1099 income into a realistic estimate of what you will owe, so tax season is a bill you planned for instead of a surprise.
There are two separate taxes to estimate. The first is self-employment tax, which is 15.3% of your net profit (after expenses). It covers Social Security and Medicare, and it applies to 92.35% of your net earnings — a small built-in adjustment because employees only pay half of these taxes directly while you pay both halves. The second is income tax, federal and (in most states) state, calculated on your profit after subtracting half of your self-employment tax and any deductions you qualify for, such as the qualified business income deduction.
To use the calculator, enter three numbers: your expected gross self-employment income, your business expenses, and any income from other sources (a W-2 job, a spouse's income if you file jointly). The result shows your estimated self-employment tax, your estimated income tax, and a combined total — plus the amount to set aside from each payment and what each quarterly payment should be. Estimated taxes are due four times a year (mid-April, mid-June, mid-September, and mid-January) using Form 1040-ES.
Worked example. You earn $60,000 freelancing and have $8,000 of expenses, leaving $52,000 of profit. Self-employment tax: $52,000 × 92.35% × 15.3% ≈ $7,347. Your income tax is then figured on $52,000 minus half the SE tax ($3,674), and after the standard deduction your federal income tax might come to roughly $3,500–$4,000 depending on filing status and credits. Total estimate: about $11,000, or roughly $2,750 per quarter. Setting aside 20–25% of every payment would keep you comfortably ahead of that bill.
The estimate is only as good as your expense records. MoneyFeed helps on that side of the equation: it is a WhatsApp tool that works with whatever bookkeeping app you already use. Text an expense or snap a receipt photo in WhatsApp, and MoneyFeed returns clean, categorized records you can export as CSV, Excel, or PDF — so the numbers you type into this calculator reflect every deductible expense, not just the ones you remembered. Your bookkeeping app, now on WhatsApp. Text It. Snap It. Books Ready.
FAQ
A common rule of thumb is 25–30% of your profit (income minus expenses). Lower earners with few expenses may need closer to 20%; higher earners in high-tax states may need more. The calculator above gives you a figure based on your actual numbers.
Self-employment tax (15.3%) funds Social Security and Medicare and is charged on 92.35% of your net profit. Income tax is charged separately on your taxable income after deductions, at rates that depend on your total income and filing status. You generally owe both.
The IRS due dates are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year (shifted to the next business day when a date falls on a weekend or holiday). Paying on time avoids underpayment penalties.
Yes. Social Security tax stops for the year once your combined wages and self-employment earnings pass the annual wage base, and tax already withheld from your paycheck counts toward your total tax bill. Enter both income sources in the calculator for a better estimate.
No. It produces an estimate for planning and quarterly payments. Your actual tax is settled on your annual return (Schedule C and Schedule SE for most sole proprietors). If your situation is complex, hand your records to a CPA and have them confirm the numbers.
What this 1099 tax calculator estimates
This free 1099 tax calculator estimates the federal tax a self-employed person in the US owes on 1099 income for 2026 — your self-employment (SE) tax, your federal income tax, and roughly how much to set aside each quarter. It is built for freelancers, gig workers, independent contractors and sole proprietors who receive 1099-NEC or 1099-K income and file a Schedule C.
Self-employment tax vs. income tax
Self-employment tax is not the same as income tax. SE tax covers Social Security and Medicare — the equivalent of the payroll taxes an employer and employee normally split — while federal income tax is charged separately on your taxable profit. As a 1099 worker you pay both on your net business profit, which is why your total bill is higher than a W-2 employee's on the same gross pay.
The 2026 self-employment tax rate (15.3%)
For 2026 the SE tax rate is 15.3%: a 12.4% Social Security portion on net earnings up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500, plus a 2.9% Medicare portion with no upper limit. SE tax is figured on 92.35% of your net profit (the net-earnings adjustment), not the full amount — so about $50,000 of profit is taxed as roughly $46,175. You can also deduct one-half of your SE tax when calculating your income tax.
Additional Medicare Tax
A 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies only to higher earners — on wages and self-employment income above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Most freelancers below those thresholds are not affected.
Quarterly estimated taxes
Because no employer withholds tax from 1099 pay, the IRS expects you to pay as you go through quarterly estimated taxes, due around April, June and September 2026 and January 2027. To avoid an underpayment penalty, aim to pay at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's (110% if your income is high). A common rule of thumb is to set aside 25–30% of each 1099 payment.
Business expense deductions
Your tax is based on net profit, so ordinary and necessary business expenses reduce it — home office, business mileage, software and subscriptions, phone and internet, supplies and professional fees. Keeping every receipt and categorizing expenses throughout the year is what lowers the number this calculator shows.
Why your actual tax may differ
This is a planning estimate: your actual liability depends on your filing status, other income, deductions, credits and any state tax, so treat it as a guide, not tax advice. Keep your 1099 business expenses organized by sending receipts to MoneyFeed on WhatsApp — it categorizes each one and keeps your income and deductions tax-ready for your Schedule C and quarterly estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I set aside for 1099 taxes?
Most self-employed people set aside about 25–30% of each payment to cover federal self-employment tax (15.3%) and federal income tax. Set aside more if you are in a higher bracket or also owe state income tax.
What is the difference between self-employment tax and income tax?
Self-employment tax (15.3%) funds Social Security and Medicare on your net earnings; federal income tax is charged separately on your taxable profit. As a 1099 worker you pay both.
Do I pay self-employment tax on gross or net income?
On net profit — your gross 1099 income minus business expenses — and only on 92.35% of that net profit. Tracking expenses directly lowers the tax.
When are 2026 quarterly estimated taxes due?
Roughly April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. Paying 90% of this year or 100%–110% of last year avoids underpayment penalties.
Does this calculator include state taxes?
It estimates federal self-employment and income tax only. State income tax, where it applies, is extra — add your state rate in the calculator or see your state page.
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