US Self-Employment Tax Calculator 2026
Estimate Social Security and Medicare (SE) tax on 2026 net self-employment profit and split it into four quarterly estimated payments.
2026 SE tax: 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of net profit; the 12.4% part stops at $184,500 of combined wages and SE earnings. $60,000 profit gives about $8,477.73. Source: IRS Form 1040-ES (2026).
Build your scenario
Use your actual figures where available. The output is an educational estimate based on the assumptions below.
Figures used (2026)
- SE tax rate 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security and 2.9% Medicare (IRS).
- Net earnings = 92.35% of net profit; Social Security wage base $184,500 for 2026; half of SE tax is deductible (IRS Form 1040-ES 2026 worksheet).
- No SE tax if net earnings are under $400 (IRS).
- 2026 quarterly due dates: April 15, 2026; June 15, 2026; Sept. 15, 2026; Jan. 15, 2027 (Form 1040-ES).
The 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax (single threshold $200,000; married filing jointly $250,000) is not included. Income tax is not calculated; enter your own estimate to include it in the quarterly figure. Checked 24 Oct 2026.
Worked example
$60,000 profit × 92.35% = $55,410. Social Security 12.4% = $6,870.84; Medicare 2.9% = $1,606.89. SE tax $8,477.73, of which $4,238.86 is deductible. Four equal payments of $2,119.43.
Who pays self-employment tax
You generally owe self-employment tax if your net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more in the year. That covers sole proprietors, independent contractors, freelancers and members of a partnership carrying on a trade or business. You work it out on Schedule SE and pay it with your Form 1040, alongside income tax. Employees don't pay it on wages, because they and their employer each pay 7.65% through payroll instead.
Why it is 92.35% of profit
An employer pays half of Social Security and Medicare on top of an employee's wages, and that half is not taxed. To match this, Schedule SE first reduces your profit by 7.65%, so tax applies to 92.35% of it. Separately, you can deduct half of the SE tax itself when you work out adjusted gross income. That deduction lowers income tax, not SE tax.
If you also have a salary
The 12.4% Social Security part only applies to combined wages and self-employment earnings up to $184,500 in 2026. If you already earn W-2 wages that were taxed for Social Security, enter them above. Only the remaining room is charged at 12.4%. The 2.9% Medicare part applies to all net earnings, with no cap.
Paying it during the year
There is no employer withholding on self-employment income, so the IRS expects estimated tax payments with Form 1040-ES. You generally need to pay estimated tax if you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file. You can usually avoid an underpayment penalty by paying at least 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's (110% if last year's adjusted gross income was over $150,000), spread across the four due dates. If you also have a job, raising your W-4 withholding can cover the SE tax instead.
Sources
- IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
- IRS: Form 1040-ES (2026), Estimated Tax for Individuals
- IRS: About Schedule SE (Form 1040)
- SSA: Contribution and benefit base ($184,500 for 2026)
- IRS Topic 560: Additional Medicare Tax
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Frequently asked questions
How much self-employment tax on $60,000?
About $8,477.73 for 2026: 15.3% of $55,410 (92.35% of profit). Quarterly that is $2,119.43 before any income tax.
What is the 2026 Social Security wage base?
$184,500, per IRS Form 1040-ES for 2026. The 12.4% part stops above it; the 2.9% Medicare part does not.
When are 2026 estimated payments due?
April 15, June 15 and Sept. 15, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027.
Is income tax included?
No. Enter your own income tax estimate to add it to the quarterly payments.
Educational information only; not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.