ReceiptKitFor the self-employed
Self-Employed Tax Calculator
If you work for yourself, one part of your tax bill surprises people most: the self-employment tax. Enter your profit and see it, plus how much to put aside from each payment. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is stored or sent.
What else do self-employed people owe?
Self-employment tax is one part. You usually also owe federal income tax, and many states charge their own tax too.
Most people pay all of it through estimated payments during the year instead of one bill in April.
- Full federal estimate: the 1099 tax calculator.
- Four payments and due dates: the quarterly tax calculator.
- Lower the bill: keep a receipt for every business cost.
How it's calculated
Self-employment tax = Social Security + Medicare on 92.35% of your profit
- Net earnings = profit × 92.35%.
- Social Security = 12.4% of net earnings, up to a wage base of $184,500.00. Wages from a job use up part of that base first.
- Medicare = 2.9% of net earnings, with no limit.
- Additional Medicare tax = 0.9% on earnings above $200,000.00 (single), $250,000.00 (married filing jointly) or $200,000.00 (head of household), counting wages.
- Under $400.00 of net earnings there is no self-employment tax.
The rates and limits come from the same IRS and SSA figures as our quarterly tax calculator.
Worked example
| Net earnings | $41,557.50 |
| Social Security | $5,153.13 |
| Medicare | $1,205.17 |
| Self-employment tax | $6,358.30 |
| Share of profit | 14.1% |
| Deductible half | $3,179.15 |
Other calculators for people running their own business
- Self-Employment Tax Calculator: anyone who earns money outside a regular job
- Freelance Tax Calculator: freelancers, designers, writers, developers and consultants
- Independent Contractor Tax Calculator: independent contractors paid on a Form 1099-NEC
- Gig Worker Tax Calculator: gig workers and people with a side hustle
- Delivery Driver Tax Calculator: DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Uber and Lyft drivers
- 1099 tax calculator: income tax and self-employment tax together
- Quarterly tax calculator: four payments and due dates
Keep the records with ReceiptKit
ReceiptKit is a receipt scanner with a business or personal switch, tax paid totals and exportable reports. Scan your business receipts as you pay, and your costs are ready when you need to lower your profit. See the tax report and export features.
FAQ
Why do I pay more tax than an employee on the same pay?
An employee pays half of Social Security and Medicare and the employer pays the other half. When you are self-employed you pay both halves, which is why the rate is higher.
Do I pay this tax if I have a day job too?
Possibly. Wages from the job use up part of the Social Security wage base first, so the calculator has a field for your W-2 wages.
Will my business expenses lower this tax?
Yes. The tax is figured on profit, so every deductible expense lowers it. Enter your profit after expenses.
Is this the amount I send to the IRS?
It is an estimate of the self-employment part only. Your actual bill is figured on Schedule SE when you file, together with your income tax.
Sources
- IRS Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Instructions for Schedule SE (2026) (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Publication 505 (2026): withholding and estimated tax (checked 2026-10-25)
- IRS Topic no. 560: Additional Medicare tax (checked 2026-10-25)
- SSA 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment fact sheet (checked 2026-10-25)
Rates and rules checked on official IRS and SSA pages on 2026-10-25. This calculator gives an estimate of U.S. federal self-employment tax only. It is not tax advice and does not calculate income tax, state tax, credits or special cases such as church employee income or farm income. Ask a tax professional before you file or make a payment.
Keep every receipt ready for tax time.
ReceiptKit keeps receipts, deductions and exports together with no sign-up.