🧾 Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Freelancers and business owners pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare. Enter net earnings to see your SE tax and the deductible half.
How Self-Employment Tax Works
W-2 employees split payroll tax with their employer. When you work for yourself, you pay both halves — that is the self-employment tax, reported on Schedule SE.
The Formula
12.4% Social Security (up to $176,100 wage base) + 2.9% Medicare (no cap)
The 92.35% factor is the equivalent of the employer-half deduction employees get. And you may deduct half of your SE tax from income tax (an above-the-line deduction). High earners also face an extra 0.9% Medicare surtax above $200,000 single / $250,000 married.
Worked Example
$80,000 net earnings → SE base = $80,000 × 92.35% = $73,880. Social Security = $73,880 × 12.4% = $9,161; Medicare = $73,880 × 2.9% = $2,143. Total SE tax = $11,304, and $5,652 (half) is deductible against income tax. At $200,000 of earnings, the Social Security portion caps at the $176,100 wage base while Medicare keeps applying.
Official reference: IRS.gov. This is an estimate for planning only — not tax advice. Verify with a CPA or tax professional before filing.
What Counts — and What Reduces It
SE tax applies to net earnings — profit after business expenses — and the 92.35% factor exists because employees split payroll tax with employers while you pay both halves. Two adjustments soften the blow: you may deduct half your SE tax from income (an above-the-line deduction), and only the Social Security portion (12.4%) stops at the wage base — Medicare's 2.9% has no cap, plus an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above $200,000 single / $250,000 married. Retirement contributions (Solo 401(k), SEP IRA) and the HSA reduce income tax but generally not SE tax — only an S-corp salary/distribution split reduces SE tax itself. Because nothing is withheld, pay quarterly estimated taxes or face penalties; a common rule is to park 25–30% of each client payment in a separate tax account the day it arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who has to pay self-employment tax?
Anyone with $400+ in net self-employment earnings: freelancers, gig workers, sole proprietors, partners, and most LLC owners. It is separate from income tax — you owe both.
What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?
Earnings above the annual wage base ($176,100 used in this calculator) are exempt from the 12.4% Social Security portion. The 2.9% Medicare portion has no cap.
Can I deduct self-employment tax?
Half of your SE tax is deductible from gross income (above-the-line), lowering income tax. The SE tax itself is not reduced by the deduction.
Do I pay SE tax on S-corp distributions?
No — that is the core S-corp advantage. Only the W-2 salary portion faces payroll tax; distributions are exempt from SE/payroll tax (but still subject to income tax).
How do I pay SE tax during the year?
Through quarterly estimated payments (Form 1040-ES) or by increasing W-2 withholding at a day job. The annual total is reconciled on Schedule SE with your return.
Last updated: September 2026
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Last updated: September 2026