2026 federal estimate
Self-employment and quarterly estimated tax calculator
Estimate 2026 self-employment tax, Additional Medicare Tax if it applies, federal income tax on a simplified return, and a quarterly payment. The figures are from current IRS sources cited below.
How this estimate is figured
- Net earnings from self-employment = net profit × 92.35%. If that amount is under $400, this tool shows no SE tax, which follows the Form 1040-ES / Publication 505 worksheet.
- SE tax = 12.4% Social Security tax on net earnings up to the remaining wage base, plus 2.9% Medicare tax on all net earnings. For 2026 the Social Security wage base is $184,500 of combined wages and net earnings.
- Half of that SE tax is deducted in arriving at adjusted gross income. Additional Medicare Tax, if any, is added separately and is not part of that half-deduction.
- Federal income tax is estimated from taxable income after the 2026 basic standard deduction, using the 2026 rate tables in Rev. Proc. 2025-32. The qualified business income deduction and itemized deductions are not applied unless you reduced income yourself in “other adjustments.”
- The quarterly amount is (total estimated federal tax − amounts you already had withheld or paid) ÷ 4.
2026 standard deduction used here
| Filing status | Basic standard deduction |
|---|---|
| Single | $16,100 |
| Married filing jointly | $32,200 |
| Married filing separately | $16,100 |
| Head of household | $24,150 |
Official IRS sources
- Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) — 15.3% rate, 2026 wage base of $184,500, the employer-equivalent deduction, and Additional Medicare Tax thresholds.
- 2026 Form 1040-ES (PDF) and Publication 505 (PDF) — 92.35% net-earnings step, $184,500 wage base, and estimated-tax worksheets.
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (PDF) — official 2026 income-tax rate tables and standard deduction amounts.
- Topic No. 560, Additional Medicare Tax and the IRS estimated tax FAQ — 0.9% thresholds and quarterly due dates.
Keep income, expenses, and quarterly payments in one workbook
The 1099 Freelancer Tax Tracker ($12) is a spreadsheet for logging 1099 income and expenses and planning quarterly payments over the year. This page is only a one-time estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tax advice or an official IRS calculator?
Neither. It is a free estimate that uses 2026 IRS rates and worksheets as described on this page. It cannot consider every credit, deduction, state tax, or special situation. For filing or payment decisions, use IRS forms, Publication 505, or a qualified tax professional.
How is self-employment tax calculated for 2026?
Start with net profit from self-employment. Multiply by 92.35% to get net earnings. If net earnings are at least $400, self-employment tax is 12.4% Social Security tax plus 2.9% Medicare tax on those earnings. For 2026, the Social Security portion applies only until combined wages and net earnings reach $184,500. These figures come from the IRS self-employment tax page, the 2026 Instructions for Schedule SE, and Form 1040-ES.
What is the Additional Medicare Tax?
An extra 0.9% tax applies to combined wages and self-employment income above a threshold that depends on filing status: $200,000 if single or head of household, $250,000 if married filing jointly, and $125,000 if married filing separately. Thresholds are from IRS Topic No. 560 and the self-employment tax page. This calculator applies the tax to self-employment income after reducing the threshold by the W-2 wages you enter.
Why do you deduct half of the self-employment tax?
You can deduct the employer-equivalent portion of SE tax (half of the 15.3% SE tax) when figuring adjusted gross income. That deduction does not reduce the SE tax itself, and it does not include Additional Medicare Tax. See the IRS self-employment tax page and the 2026 Form 1040-ES worksheet.
When are 2026 quarterly estimated taxes due?
For calendar-year taxpayers, the four payment periods are due April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. If a due date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. All four of those 2026–27 dates fall on weekdays. See the IRS estimated tax FAQ and Publication 505.
What does this estimate leave out?
State and local tax, the qualified business income deduction, tax credits, itemized deductions, extra standard deduction amounts for age or blindness, the Net Investment Income Tax, alternative minimum tax, self-employed health insurance and retirement-plan deductions unless you enter them as other adjustments, and any special rule that applies to your facts. The income-tax piece uses the 2026 rate tables and standard deduction in Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and assumes you take the basic standard deduction.
Do I always need to pay a quarter of the total each due date?
Not necessarily. Many people use a safe harbor based on 90% of the current year’s tax or 100% of the prior year’s tax (110% if prior-year adjusted gross income was more than $150,000, or $75,000 if married filing separately). This page simply divides the remaining estimated federal tax by four. If earlier 2026 installments are already due, talk with a tax professional about catch-up payments and penalties.