Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Enter your net profit and get your Schedule SE bill: Social Security, Medicare, the extra Medicare surtax and the half you can deduct. Works for 2026 and 2025.
| Net earnings from self-employment$60,000 × 92.35% | $55,410 |
| Social Security 12.4%On up to $184,500 (2026 wage base $184,500) | $6,871 |
| Medicare 2.9%No cap | $1,607 |
| Additional Medicare 0.9%Form 8959, above the threshold | $0 |
| Total SE tax | $8,478 |
| Deductible halfSchedule 1, line 15 | $4,239 |
Income tax comes on top. See the full picture on the take-home calculator.
Why 92.35%, and why it stops at $184,500
An employee earning $60,000 pays 7.65% FICA from their check: $4,590. Their employer quietly pays another 7.65% on top, which never appears as wages. Total paid in: $9,180.
The formula, step by step
- Net profit (Schedule C) × 0.9235 = net earnings from self-employment.
- If that is under $400, stop: no SE tax.
- Social Security: 12.4% × the smaller of net earnings or (wage base − W-2 Social Security wages).
- Medicare: 2.9% × all net earnings.
- Additional Medicare: 0.9% on net earnings above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint / $125,000 separate (reduced by W-2 wages), filed on Form 8959.
- Deduct half of lines 3 + 4 on Schedule 1.
| Net profit | SE tax 2026 | Deductible half |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $2,826 | $1,413 |
| $40,000 | $5,652 | $2,826 |
| $60,000 | $8,478 | $4,239 |
| $80,000 | $11,304 | $5,652 |
| $100,000 | $14,130 | $7,065 |
| $150,000 | $21,194 | $10,597 |
| $200,000 | $28,234 | $14,117 |
| $250,000 | $29,851 | $14,787 |
Single filer, no W-2 wages. Source: IRS Schedule SE instructions; wage base from the Social Security Administration.
Questions freelancers ask
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3%: 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare, applied to 92.35% of net self-employment earnings. The Social Security part stops at the 2026 wage base of $184,500 of combined wages and SE earnings; Medicare has no cap, and an extra 0.9% applies above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly).
How do you calculate self-employment tax?
Multiply net profit from Schedule C by 0.9235, then multiply the result by 15.3% (only 2.9% on any amount above the Social Security wage base). Example: $60,000 profit × 0.9235 = $55,410; × 15.3% = $8,478 of self-employment tax.
Why is self-employment tax calculated on 92.35%?
Employees pay FICA on wages, while their employer pays a matching 7.65% that never shows up as wages. To put the self-employed on equal footing, Schedule SE first removes 7.65% (the employer-equivalent share) from net earnings: 100% − 7.65% = 92.35%.
Is there a minimum income for self-employment tax?
Yes. If your net earnings from self-employment (net profit × 92.35%) are under $400, you owe no self-employment tax, though you may still owe income tax and need to file.
Can I deduct self-employment tax?
Half of it. The employer-equivalent half of SE tax is an adjustment to income on Schedule 1, which lowers income tax. It does not reduce the SE tax itself.
Does having a W-2 job change my self-employment tax?
It can. Social Security wages from a job use up part of the wage base first, so if your W-2 wages plus SE earnings exceed $184,500 (2026), you pay the 12.4% only on the room left. Medicare still applies to every dollar.