Self-employment tax calculator
Self-employment tax is the part that catches people who have only ever had a salary. This works out exactly what you owe on your profit, and what comes back as a deduction.
Self-employment tax
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Enter your business profit to see the Social Security and Medicare you owe as a self-employed person.
- Net earnings
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- Social Security
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- Medicare
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- Deductible half
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Common questions
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
15.3% — 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare — charged on 92.35% of your net profit. Social Security stops at $184,500 of earnings; Medicare has no cap.
Why is it charged on 92.35% of profit rather than all of it?
The reduction mirrors the deduction an employer gets for its half of payroll tax. It puts a self-employed person in roughly the same position as an employer and employee combined.
Is any of it deductible?
Half of it comes off your income automatically as an above-the-line deduction. You do not need to itemise. The Additional Medicare Tax is the exception — that part is not deductible.
What people use next
Estimates based on published federal rules for tax year 2026. State and local tax is not included. This is general information, not advice about your situation.