Estimate the self-employment tax on your freelance or business profit. Enter your net profit and see the Social Security and Medicare parts, the deductible half and the effective rate. Free, private, and runs entirely in your browser.
Self-employed people pay both the employee and employer shares of Social Security and Medicare. The tax applies to 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% for Social Security up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, plus 2.9% for Medicare with no cap.
What is the self-employment tax rate? 15.3% of 92.35% of net earnings, which is about 14.13% of profit below the Social Security cap.
Can I deduct self-employment tax? You can deduct half of it when figuring your income tax, which lowers your taxable income.
Net profit is $60,000. The taxable base is 60,000 × 0.9235 = $55,410. Social Security is 12.4% of that, $6,870.84, and Medicare is 2.9%, $1,606.89, for a total of $8,477.73, or about 14.13% of profit. About half, roughly $4,239, is deductible.
Do I pay it on small profits? Self-employment tax is not due when net earnings from self-employment are under $400.
What if I also have a job? Wages on which an employer withheld Social Security can reduce the Social Security part for you. This calculator does not include those wages.
Social Security coverage was extended to most self-employed workers in the 1950s, and the Self-Employment Contributions Act sets the tax that they pay in place of payroll tax. Because a self-employed person is both employee and employer, the combined rate of 15.3% is double the 7.65% an employee pays, which is why the law allows a deduction for half of it.
Use this calculator to budget for freelance or small-business income and to plan quarterly estimated payments. For a profit of $100,000, the tax is about $14,130. Treat it as an estimate based on 2026 rates, and talk to a tax professional about your own situation.
Is the Social Security wage base the same for self-employed people? Yes. The 12.4% Social Security part stops once the base reaches $184,500 in 2026, while Medicare has no cap.
Does this include income tax? No. It covers only self-employment tax. Income tax depends on your whole return.