Self-Employment Tax Calculator

Use this self employment tax calculator to estimate the Social Security and Medicare tax you owe on 2026 freelance, gig or small business income. It follows the same steps as IRS Schedule SE and uses official 2026 figures from the IRS and the Social Security Administration.

How self-employment tax works

When you work for an employer, you pay half of Social Security and Medicare tax and your employer pays the other half. When you work for yourself, you pay both halves. That combined tax is self-employment tax, and the rate is 15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.

The tax doesn't apply to your full profit. You first multiply your net profit by 92.35%. That is the amount Schedule SE taxes. For example, $50,000 of net profit becomes $46,175 of net earnings, and 15.3% of that is $7,064.78.

• Social Security cap: the 12.4% part applies only up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. W-2 wages count toward that cap first, so a day job leaves less room for SE tax.
• Medicare has no cap: the 2.9% part applies to all of your net earnings.
• Additional Medicare Tax: an extra 0.9% applies to earnings above $200,000 (single, head of household or qualifying surviving spouse), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately). Your W-2 wages lower that threshold. These amounts are not adjusted for inflation.
• Half is deductible: you can deduct one-half of your SE tax when you figure your adjusted gross income. It lowers your income tax, not the SE tax itself.
• $400 rule: if your net earnings from self-employment are under $400, you generally don't owe SE tax.

Not included: the farm and nonfarm optional methods, church employee income, Social Security tips and wages from Form 4137 or 8919, and federal or state income tax. If you are married and both spouses have self-employment income, each spouse figures SE tax on a separate Schedule SE, so run the calculator once for each person. For income tax on your profit, see our Taxes hub.

To estimate the rest of your tax bill, try our federal income tax calculator or, if you also get a paycheck, the paycheck calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?

It is 15.3% of 92.35% of your net profit: 12.4% for Social Security on earnings up to $184,500 and 2.9% for Medicare on everything. Higher earners may also owe the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax.

Do I have to pay self-employment tax if I also have a W-2 job?

Yes, if your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more. Your W-2 wages do reduce how much of your side income is hit by the 12.4% Social Security part. If your wages are already at $184,500 or more, you pay only the Medicare part on your self-employment earnings.

Why does the calculator use 92.35% of my profit?

That is how the IRS defines the amount subject to the tax. Topic 554 says that, generally, the amount subject to self-employment tax is 92.35% of your net earnings from self-employment, and Schedule SE applies that step before the 15.3% rate.

Is self-employment tax deductible?

Half of it is. You deduct one-half of your SE tax as an adjustment to income on Schedule 1. The Additional Medicare Tax is not part of that deduction.

Sources

• IRS Topic No. 554, Self-employment tax: the 92.35% rule, the 12.4% and 2.9% rates, the $400 rule, the Additional Medicare thresholds and the deduction for half of SE tax.
• Instructions for Schedule SE (Form 1040): who must file, and how W-2 wages reduce the Additional Medicare threshold for self-employment income.
• Instructions for Form 8959, Additional Medicare Tax: the 0.9% rate and thresholds, which are not indexed for inflation.
• Social Security Administration, Contribution and Benefit Base: the 2026 wage base of $184,500.

Disclaimer: This calculator gives an educational estimate for tax year 2026. It isn't tax or legal advice, and your actual tax may differ. Check IRS guidance or a qualified tax professional before you make decisions.

By Fintrovert Team