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Home/Tools/Calculators/Self-Employment Tax Calculator

Self-Employment Tax Calculator

Calculate your self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare), income tax, and quarterly estimated payments. See the deductible half of SE tax, compare effective rates to W-2 employment, and plan your quarterly payment schedule.

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How to Use Self-Employment Tax Calculator

  1. 1Enter your gross self-employment income.
  2. 2Deduct business expenses.
  3. 3Select your filing status and other income.
  4. 4View SE tax, income tax, and quarterly payment amounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

SE tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net self-employment income: 12.4% for Social Security (up to $168,600 in 2024) and 2.9% for Medicare. An additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies on income over $200,000.

Yes, you can deduct the employer-equivalent portion (half) of your SE tax when calculating adjusted gross income. This reduces your income tax but not the SE tax itself.

Quarterly payments are due: April 15 (Q1), June 15 (Q2), September 15 (Q3), and January 15 of the following year (Q4). You may owe penalties if you underpay estimated taxes.

The Self-Employment Tax Calculator is a free online tool that lets you calculate self-employment tax and quarterly estimated payments. It is part of NexTool's collection of free tools designed to help you work faster and more efficiently.

Using the Self-Employment Tax Calculator is simple: visit the tool page, enter your data or input into the provided fields, and get instant results. No downloads, installations, or sign-ups are required. The tool runs directly in your web browser for maximum convenience.

Yes, the Self-Employment Tax Calculator is 100% free to use with no limitations. There is no registration required, no daily usage caps, and no hidden fees. You can use it as many times as you need.

Yes, after running your calculation you can copy the results to your clipboard or take a screenshot. The Self-Employment Tax Calculator displays a detailed breakdown so you can easily record or share your numbers. No account is required to use or save results.

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About Self-Employment Tax Calculator

Calculate your self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare), income tax, and quarterly estimated payments. See the deductible half of SE tax, compare effective rates to W-2 employment, and plan your quarterly payment schedule.

NexTool's Self-Employment Tax Calculator is completely free to use with no sign-up required. Your data is processed directly in your browser and never sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and instant results.

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$0$500,000
$0$120,000

Wages from employment (affects SS tax cap)

Total Federal Tax

$24,687.53

25.99% effective rate | Single

SE Tax: $13,423.07Income Tax: $11,264.46

Net SE Income

$95,000.00

SE Tax (15.3%)

$13,423.07

Quarterly Payment

$6,171.88

Effective Rate

25.99%

Self-Employment Tax Breakdown

Gross SE Income$120,000.00
Business Expenses-$25,000.00

Net SE Income$95,000.00
SE Tax Base (92.35% of net)$87,732.50

Social Security Tax (12.4%)$10,878.83
Medicare Tax (2.9%)$2,544.24

Total Self-Employment Tax$13,423.07
Deductible Half of SE Tax-$6,711.54

Income Tax Breakdown

Net SE Income+$95,000.00
Deductible Half of SE Tax-$6,711.54

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)$88,288.46
Standard Deduction-$14,600.00

Taxable Income$73,688.46
10%
$1,160
12%
$4,266
22%
$5,838

Federal Income Tax$11,264.46

Total Tax Summary

Self-Employment Tax$13,423.07
Federal Income Tax$11,264.46

Total Federal Tax$24,687.53
Effective Tax Rate25.99%
Take-Home (After All Federal Taxes)$70,312.47

Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments

Self-employed individuals must pay estimated taxes quarterly. Each payment covers roughly 25% of your total annual tax liability.

QuarterIncome PeriodDue DatePayment
Q1Jan 1 - Mar 31April 15, 2025$6,171.88
Q2Apr 1 - May 31June 16, 2025$6,171.88
Q3Jun 1 - Aug 31September 15, 2025$6,171.88
Q4Sep 1 - Dec 31January 15, 2026$6,171.88
Annual Total$24,687.53

Penalty Warning

The IRS may charge an underpayment penalty if you do not pay at least 90% of your current year tax or 100% of your prior year tax (110% if prior year AGI exceeded $150,000) through estimated payments and withholding.

Self-Employed vs. Equivalent W-2 Salary

Comparing your SE income of $95,000 to the same amount earned as a W-2 employee (not including employer FICA).

Self-Employed

Net SE Income

$95,000.00

SE Tax (Both Halves)

-$13,423.07

Income Tax

-$11,264.46


Total Tax

$24,687.53

Take-Home

$70,312.47

W-2 Employee

Gross Salary

$95,000.00

Employee FICA (7.65%)

-$7,267.50

Income Tax

-$12,741.00


Total Tax (Employee Share)

$20,008.50

Take-Home

$74,991.50

Key Differences

Extra SE Tax Cost

$4,679.03

Employer FICA (Hidden Cost)

$7,267.50

True Total FICA (Both)

$14,535.00

As a self-employed individual, you pay both the employer and employee portions of FICA (15.3% total vs. 7.65% for a W-2 employee). However, you can deduct the employer-equivalent portion (half of SE tax) from your AGI, which partially offsets the additional cost.