Self-Employment Tax Calculator 2026

Understanding Self-Employment Tax

2026 Tax Rates & Limits

Social Security: 12.4% on earnings up to $176,100
Medicare: 2.9% on all earnings
Additional Medicare: 0.9% on earnings over $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (married)

What is Self-Employment Tax?

Self-employment tax is the tax that self-employed individuals pay to fund Social Security and Medicare. It's equivalent to the FICA taxes that employees and employers pay, but self-employed individuals pay both portions.

Rate: 15.3% (12.4% Social Security + 2.9% Medicare)
Applied to 92.35% of your net self-employment earnings
Social Security portion capped at $176,100 for 2026

How SE Tax is Calculated

The calculation involves several steps:

Start with net self-employment earnings from Schedule C
Multiply by 92.35% to get earnings subject to SE tax
Apply Social Security rate (12.4%) up to wage base limit
Apply Medicare rate (2.9%) to all earnings
Add Additional Medicare tax (0.9%) if over thresholds

Deductible Portion

You can deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income on your tax return. This deduction:

Reduces your adjusted gross income (AGI)
Is taken "above the line" - even if you take standard deduction
Helps offset the employer portion equivalent

Additional Medicare Tax

An extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies to high earners:

Single filers: earnings over $200,000
Married filing jointly: earnings over $250,000
No employer match on this additional tax
Based on combined W-2 wages and SE earnings

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Tax laws are complex and individual situations vary. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation.