US Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Work out Social Security and Medicare tax on your self-employment income.
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How to do it
- 1Fill in the boxes
Type your numbers or pick the options you need.
- 2See the result
The answer updates right away as you change a value.
- 3Use it
Copy the result or note it down. Nothing is sent anywhere.
About this tool
Enter your net profit from self-employment. The calculator applies 15.3 percent to 92.35 percent of your profit, with the Social Security part capped at the wage base, and shows the half you can deduct and a quarterly amount to set aside. Figures are for the 2026 tax year and can change. A guide only, check irs.gov or a tax professional.
How it works
Self-employed people pay both the employee and employer halves of Social Security (12.4 percent) and Medicare (2.9 percent). The tax applies to 92.35 percent of net earnings. Social Security stops at the yearly wage base, $184,500 for 2026, while Medicare has no cap.
Example
On $80,000 profit the base is $73,880, so the tax is about $11,300. Half of it, around $5,650, is deductible from your income.
Tips
Pay quarterly estimates to avoid penalties, on 15 April, 15 June, 15 September and 15 January. Self-employment tax is on top of income tax.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it 15.3 percent?
12.4 percent for Social Security plus 2.9 percent for Medicare, the combined employee and employer share.
Is any of it deductible?
Half of the self-employment tax is deductible when working out income tax.
Is there an extra Medicare tax?
Yes, an additional 0.9 percent applies on earnings above $200,000 for single filers. It is not included here.
When do I pay it?
Through quarterly estimated payments and with the annual return.