FreeUpdated Jan 2026Calculator
Self-Employment Tax
Calculator 2025–2026
Compute your SE tax (Social Security + Medicare), the deductible half, and its impact on your AGI. Built for freelancers, 1099 contractors, sole proprietors, and single-member LLCs.
Enter Your Self-Employment Details
Tax Year 2026 · Schedule SE rates
Business Income
Gross Business Revenue Total before any deductions
$
Business Expenses Schedule C deductions
$
Home Office Deduction
$
Vehicle Deduction
$
Other Income & Context
W-2 Wages (if any)
$
Tax Year
Filing Status
Comparison Mode
Compare Entity Structure
SE + Medicare Tax
—
Schedule SE + Additional Medicare when applicable
SE Tax Deduction
—
Income adjustment; not a tax credit
Net SE Income
—
After business expenses
Effective SE Rate
—
Of net SE income
Gross Revenue—
Business Expenses—
Net SE Income (Schedule C)—
SE Tax Base (× 92.35%)—
Social Security Tax (12.4%)—
Medicare Tax (2.9%)—
Additional Medicare Tax (0.9%)—
Regular SE Tax (Schedule SE)—
Combined SE + Additional Medicare—
Deductible employer-equivalent SE portion—
Income-tax effect of deductionDepends on income-tax rate
📊 Entity Comparison
Sole Prop SE + Add'l Medicare—
Est. S-Corp payroll taxes on salary—
Est. payroll-tax difference—
Not modeledIncome tax, QBI, state tax, payroll/admin costs
Understanding Self-Employment Tax
What Is SE Tax?
When you're self-employed, you pay both the employee and employer portions of Social Security and Medicare. That's 12.4% SS + 2.9% Medicare = 15.3% total. Employees only pay 7.65% because their employer covers the other half.
The 92.35% Multiplier
You don't pay SE tax on 100% of net self-employment income. The IRS applies a 92.35% factor (equivalent to 1 - 7.65%) to approximate the "employer deduction." So SE tax = Net Income × 92.35% × 15.3%.
The Deductible Half
You can generally deduct the employer-equivalent half of regular SE tax as an adjustment to income. This is a deduction from income, not a dollar-for-dollar tax credit, and it does not include Additional Medicare Tax.
Social Security Wage Base 2026
The SS wage base for 2026 is $184,500. Net earnings above the remaining wage base are not subject to the 12.4% Social Security portion, but Medicare has no wage-base cap. Additional Medicare Tax may apply above the filing-status threshold.
📊 2026 SE Tax Rates
Social Security Rate12.4%
Medicare Rate2.9%
Total SE Rate15.3%
SE Tax Base Factor92.35%
SS Wage Base$184,500
Add'l Medicare Thresholds$200k · $250k MFJ · $125k MFS
Add'l Medicare Rate+0.9%
Deductible Portion50%
💡 Reduce Your SE Tax
S-Corp Election: Pay yourself a reasonable salary; take remaining profit as distributions — no SE tax on distributions.
Retirement plans: SEP/SIMPLE/Solo 401(k) contributions may reduce income tax, but they generally do not reduce Schedule SE net earnings merely because they are retirement contributions.
Home Office: Deduct the business portion of home expenses — reduces net SE income directly.
Vehicle expenses: Use the mileage calculator for the applicable 2025 or 2026 IRS rate period, or evaluate actual vehicle expenses when allowed.