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Freelancer Tax Calculator

Estimate your self-employment tax, federal income tax, and quarterly payments — instantly, in your browser.

Annual Gross Freelance Revenue ($)

Business Expenses ($) optional — deducted from gross to get net

Other W-2 / Employment Income ($) optional

Filing Status

State Income Tax Rate (%) 0 = no state tax

📊 Your Tax Estimate

Income

Gross Freelance Revenue —

Business Expenses —

Net Self-Employment Income —

Other W-2 Income —

Self-Employment Tax (Schedule SE)

SE Taxable Earnings (92.35%) —

Social Security Tax (12.4%) —

Medicare Tax (2.9%) —

Total SE Tax —

Federal Income Tax

½ SE Tax Deduction —

Standard Deduction —

Federal Taxable Income —

Federal Income Tax —

State Income Tax

State Tax —

Summary

                Total Estimated Tax
                —
            

                Effective Tax Rate
                —
            

💡 Quarterly Estimated Payment —

⚠️ Estimate only — not tax advice. This calculator uses 2025 IRS brackets, the 2025 Social Security wage base ($176,100), and standard deductions. It does not account for QBI deductions, credits, AMT, FICA withholding from W-2 employment, or state-specific rules beyond a flat rate. Consult a qualified tax professional for personalized advice.

How It Works

Enter Your Income & Expenses

Enter your gross freelance revenue and any business expenses. The calculator deducts expenses to find your net self-employment income — the number that matters for taxes.

Select Your Filing Status & State Rate

Choose Single, Married Filing Jointly, or Head of Household. Enter your state's income tax rate (or 0 if you live in a no-income-tax state like Texas or Florida).

Get Your Full Breakdown

Instantly see your SE tax, federal income tax, state tax, total liability, effective rate, and the quarterly estimated payment you should be sending to the IRS.

Understanding Self-Employment Tax

When you're a W-2 employee, your employer pays half of your Social Security and Medicare taxes. As a freelancer, you're both employer and employee — so you pay the full 15.3% yourself. This is called self-employment (SE) tax.

The IRS calculates SE tax on 92.35% of your net earnings (the 7.65% reduction approximates the employer-side share you can deduct). You can then deduct half of your SE tax from your gross income before calculating federal income tax — a small but meaningful break.

Social Security tax (12.4%) only applies up to the annual wage base ($176,100 for 2025). Medicare (2.9%) has no cap, and high earners may owe an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax (not included in this estimate).

Why Quarterly Payments Matter

Unlike W-2 employees, freelancers have no employer withholding taxes from each paycheck. The IRS expects you to pay taxes as you earn — quarterly. Missing estimated payments triggers a penalty, even if you pay everything by April 15.

The standard due dates are: April 15, June 16, September 15, and January 15. Set aside roughly 25–35% of every invoice payment into a separate savings account. This calculator gives you the exact quarterly amount to target.

Tips to Reduce Your Tax Bill

✦ Track every business expense — software, home office, equipment, internet, professional development all count

✦ Open a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k) — contributions reduce your taxable income by up to $69,000/year (2025)

✦ Deduct self-employed health insurance premiums from your gross income

✦ Look into the 20% QBI (Qualified Business Income) deduction if you qualify — not in this calculator but can be significant

✦ Consider an S-Corp election if your net income exceeds ~$50,000 — can reduce SE tax on a portion of earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this calculator accurate?

It uses 2025 IRS brackets and SE tax rules for a good ballpark estimate. It doesn't factor in credits, QBI deductions, state-specific rules, or AMT. Use it to plan your quarterly payments, then confirm with a CPA.

Does my data get sent anywhere?

No. All calculations happen in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to any server. Your financial data stays 100% private.

What is the Social Security wage base for 2025?

For 2025, Social Security tax (12.4%) only applies to the first $176,100 of net self-employment earnings. Medicare (2.9%) applies to all earnings with no cap.

When are quarterly estimated taxes due?

For 2025: April 15, June 16, September 15, and January 15, 2026. Missing these dates can result in underpayment penalties even if you pay in full at tax time.

What if I also have a W-2 job?

Enter your W-2 income in the optional field. It stacks on top of your freelance income for federal bracket calculation, but SE tax only applies to your net self-employment earnings.