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Self-employed · Tax year 2026

US 1099 Self-Employment Tax Calculator 2026

Enter your Schedule C net profit; we compute Internal Revenue Code §1401 — the self-employment tax statute. Social Security portion 12.4 % capped at the OASDI wage base; Medicare portion 2.9 % uncapped. Applied to 92.35 % of net profit per §1402(a)(12). exactly, no approximation. Separate from your federal income tax; this is the payroll-tax equivalent for 1099 earners.

The 2026 numbers that matter

12.4%
Social Security rate Capped at $184,500 net earnings
2.9%
Medicare rate Uncapped
15.3%
Combined SE tax rate on 92.35 % of profit

Live calculator

Your 2026 SE tax

Enter your net profit from Schedule C, line 31. We apply IRC §1401 directly — 12.4% OASDI (capped) + 2.9% Medicare (uncapped).

This is after business expenses. Do not enter gross 1099 income.

SS portion caps at $184,500 net earnings in 2026 (IRS Pub 15). Medicare keeps going.

Enter your figures above to see your estimate.

How §1401 actually works

  1. Start with net profit from Schedule C line 31 (gross 1099 income minus business expenses). This is NOT gross 1099s.
  2. Multiply by 0.9235 to get net SE earnings. §1402(a)(12) — this adjustment approximates the employer-side payroll tax you're effectively responsible for.
  3. If net earnings are under $400, stop. §1402(b) de-minimis exempts you.
  4. Social Security portion: min(netEarnings, $184,500) × 0.124
  5. Medicare portion: netEarnings × 0.029 — uncapped.
  6. Sum = SE tax. Goes on Form 1040 Schedule 2, line 4. Half of this is deductible above-the-line on Schedule 1 (§164(f)).

Note on Additional Medicare (0.9 % above $200k single / $250k joint, §1401(b)(2)): the calculator above does not apply it yet. If your combined wages + SE exceed those thresholds, add 0.9 % on the excess manually for now.

Worked example — $60,000 profit

  1. $60,000 × 0.9235 = $55,410 net SE earnings.
  2. Below $184,500 wage base, so full 15.3 % applies.
  3. $55,410 × 0.153 = $8,477.73 SE tax.
  4. Quarter set-aside: $8,477.73 / 4 = ~$2,119/qtr
  5. Four 2026 deadlines: Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Jan 15, 2027.

Type 60000 into the calculator above — you'll see the same numbers, plus an effective-rate readout. Shareable URL preserves the scenario.

Sources

  • IRC §1401 (Self-employment tax rate) — law.cornell.edu
  • IRC §1402 (net earnings — 0.9235 multiplier) — law.cornell.edu
  • IRS Publication 15 (2026) — 2026 OASDI wage base $184,500 — irs.gov
Last reviewed
Tax year
2026
Version
us.2026.v1

Author: Marcus Hale · United States tax analyst · Methodology

Data licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Cite as: TaxValio — taxvalio.com/us-1099-self-employment-tax/

Estimation tool only — not professional tax advice. Consult a qualified CPA or Enrolled Agent for your specific situation.