Free calculator
Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Enter your net self-employment income to estimate your 15.3% self-employment tax, a rough income-tax set-aside, and your quarterly estimated payments.
Your business profit — revenue minus business expenses.
W-2 wages, spouse income, etc. — affects your income-tax bracket.
Estimated tax owed
Total estimated tax
$13,131
Effective rate ≈ 21.9% of profit
Self-employment tax
$8,478
Federal income tax
$4,653
Set aside each quarter
$3,283
Due Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Jan 15
Estimate only, using 2025 federal figures and the standard deduction. It excludes state tax, the QBI deduction, credits, and other situations. It is not tax advice — confirm with a tax professional before making payments.
What self-employment tax actually covers
When you work for an employer, they pay half of your Social Security and Medicare taxes and you pay the other half through payroll. When you're self-employed, you pay both halves yourself — that's the 15.3% self-employment tax. The good news: you can deduct half of it when calculating your income tax, which this estimate accounts for.
Why quarterly payments matter
Self-employment income arrives without withholding, so the IRS asks you to pay as you go through quarterly estimated payments. Skipping them can trigger underpayment penalties even if you pay in full at tax time. Setting aside the quarterly figure above on every payment keeps you ahead of it.
Keep clean income records
Your tax estimate is only as good as your records. A consistent, numbered invoice trail makes reconstructing income simple. Create invoices with our free invoice generator or run the whole books-to-billing workflow in Agiled.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Self-employment tax is 15.3% — 12.4% for Social Security (up to an annual wage base) plus 2.9% for Medicare. It's applied to 92.35% of your net self-employment income. This calculator computes that, then estimates federal income tax on top and adds the two together.
You owe self-employment tax once you have $400 or more in net self-employment income. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in total tax for the year, the IRS expects quarterly estimated payments, due around April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15.
A common rule of thumb is 25–35% of net income, but the precise number depends on your income, deductions, and state. This calculator gives you a specific estimate; move that share of every payment into a separate account so the quarterly bill is already covered.
No. This estimate covers federal self-employment tax and federal income tax only. State income tax, local taxes, the qualified business income (QBI) deduction, and tax credits are not included, so your actual liability may differ.
No. It's an educational estimate using 2025 federal figures and the standard deduction. For decisions and filings, confirm the numbers with a qualified tax professional.
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