Instantly estimate your Self-Employment Tax, Federal Income Tax, and take-home pay as an independent contractor or freelancer.
Enter your 1099 income to calculate your taxes.
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This tool estimates federal self-employment taxes for independent contractors, freelancers, and gig workers who receive 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC income. Unlike W-2 employees, freelancers must pay both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes (15.3%), plus federal income tax. Use our quarterly tax calculator to plan your estimated payments.
Freelance designers, developers, writers, consultants, Uber/Lyft drivers, Etsy sellers, and anyone receiving 1099 income. If you earn more than $400 in self-employment income annually, you must file. Compare your freelance earnings against W-2 equivalents using our US paycheck calculator.
Example Input
Annual 1099 income: $120,000. Business expenses: $15,000 (home office, software, hardware). Filing status: Single.
Sample Output
Net self-employment income: $105,000. Self-employment tax (15.3%): $14,839. Federal income tax: ~$17,400. Effective total tax rate: ~30.7%. Quarterly estimated payment: ~$8,060.
Example Input
W-2 salary: $75,000 (taxes already withheld). Side 1099 income: $25,000. Business expenses: $3,000.
Sample Output
Additional self-employment tax on $22,000: $3,107. Additional federal income tax: ~$5,280. You owe ~$8,387 in additional taxes. Quarterly payment: ~$2,097 to avoid underpayment penalties.
Run this calculator at the start of each quarter to determine your estimated tax payment (due April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15). Use it when evaluating whether to incorporate as an S-Corp, when pricing your freelance rates, and when comparing a 1099 contract vs W-2 offer.
Track every legitimate business expense: home office (simplified method: $5/sq ft up to 300 sq ft), health insurance premiums (100% deductible), retirement contributions (SEP-IRA up to 25% of net earnings), software subscriptions, and professional development. Use our hourly-to-salary converter to ensure your freelance rate accounts for the self-employment tax burden.
The #1 mistake is not setting aside money for taxes throughout the year. As a rule, freelancers should save 25-30% of every payment received. Another critical error is missing quarterly estimated payments, which triggers a 0.5% per month underpayment penalty. Finally, many freelancers fail to deduct legitimate business expenses, overpaying by thousands.
The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, consisting of 12.4% for Social Security (on income up to $168,600 in 2025) and 2.9% for Medicare (on all income, plus an additional 0.9% on income above $200,000). You can deduct half of this tax from your adjusted gross income.
Yes, if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year. The IRS requires quarterly payments on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. Missing these deadlines results in underpayment penalties.
Yes, if you use a dedicated space in your home regularly and exclusively for business. The simplified method allows $5 per square foot (up to 300 sq ft = $1,500 max). The regular method calculates actual expenses proportional to your office area versus total home area.
The calculation runs in your browser where supported (Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox). No account is required; review the privacy policy for analytics, advertising, and other site services. Use the output as a planning estimate and confirm filing details with the IRS or a qualified professional.
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