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Self-Employment Tax Calculator

Work out self-employment tax with the Social Security and Medicare breakdown.

Updated for the 2026 tax year · Last data update May 19, 2026
$

Schedule C net profit (revenue minus business expenses).

$

Reduces the Social Security wage base still available.

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How to Use

  1. Enter your net self-employment profit (Schedule C).
  2. Optionally enter W-2 wages already earned this year.
  3. Select your filing status.
  4. Review your SE tax and quarterly estimate.

Calculation Method

Net earnings from self-employment = net profit × 92.35%. The Social Security portion (12.4%) applies up to the annual wage base (reduced by any W-2 wages). The Medicare portion (2.9%) applies to all net SE earnings, plus an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% above the threshold.

You can deduct roughly half of your SE tax as an above-the-line deduction.

Data source: IRS Schedule SE and the Social Security Administration.

Examples

\$80,000 net profit

Net SE earnings \$73,880 → SS \$9,161 + Medicare \$2,143.

≈ \$11,304 SE tax

Frequently Asked Questions

The 7.65% reduction approximates the employer-equivalent portion of FICA, so the self-employed are not taxed on that share.

Yes. Self-employment tax is separate from federal income tax. You can deduct about half of it when computing income tax.

The self-employed generally pay tax in four quarterly installments. We show roughly one quarter of the SE tax as a guide.

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Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for informational and educational purposes only. SmartTaxCalcs does not provide tax advice. Your actual tax liability may differ based on your specific situation, recent law changes, and circumstances not modeled here (e.g., AMT, NIIT, special credits). We strongly recommend consulting a qualified tax professional (CPA, Enrolled Agent, or tax attorney) before filing or making financial decisions.

Data source: IRS Revenue Procedure / state Departments of Revenue. Last data update: May 19, 2026.

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