Self-Employment Tax Calculator (US, 2026)

Estimate the Social Security and Medicare tax you owe on freelance profit (Schedule SE). Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Income

Net self-employment profit ($)

W-2 wages also earned ($)

Rules (2026 defaults)

Social Security wage base ($)

Additional Medicare threshold ($; 200k single, 250k joint)

Results

Self-employment tax

Social Security (12.4%)

Medicare (2.9%)

Additional Medicare (0.9%)

Deductible half

Quarterly payment

Net earnings subject to SE tax

Effective rate on profit

How self-employment tax is calculated

US freelancers pay both the employee and employer shares of FICA. On Schedule SE, net earnings = net profit × 92.35%. Then:

Social Security: 12.4% of net earnings up to the wage base ($184,500 for 2026), reduced by any W-2 wages already taxed.
Medicare: 2.9% on all net earnings.
Additional Medicare: 0.9% on combined wages and SE earnings above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly), reported on Form 8959.

No SE tax is due if net profit is under $400. You can deduct half of the SE tax (excluding the additional 0.9%) when computing income tax. Self-employment tax is separate from income tax — see the take-home pay calculator for the full picture. Quarterly estimates here cover SE tax only.

FAQ

What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?

15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of net profit, with Social Security capped at the $184,500 wage base.

Do I pay SE tax if I earn under $400?

No, SE tax applies when net self-employment earnings are $400 or more.

Is self-employment tax deductible?

Half of it is deductible as an adjustment to income on your Form 1040.

Does this include income tax?

No. It estimates SE tax only; federal and state income tax are additional.