Self-Employment Tax and Quarterly Tax Calculator (US 2025)
Work out self-employment tax, federal income tax and the quarterly payment to set aside from freelance or business profit.
What self-employed people owe
Employees split Social Security and Medicare tax with their employer. If you work for yourself, you pay both halves: 15.3% on 92.35% of your net profit. The Social Security part (12.4%) stops at the 2025 wage base of $176,100. Medicare (2.9%) has no cap, and 0.9% more applies to high earners.
The deductions that lower the bill
You can deduct half of the self-employment tax from your income. You also get the standard deduction and, for most sole proprietors, a 20% qualified business income deduction. The rest is taxed with the normal 2025 brackets.
Quarterly payments
No one withholds tax from your income, so the IRS expects estimated payments four times a year. The big number is one quarter of your total. Set the money aside as you earn it.
Limits
The QBI deduction phases out for some service businesses at higher income, and this tool does not model that. Other income, credits and retirement deductions are not included.
Tax year: US 2025. Rates and limits are updated every year. Source: IRS: self-employment tax. Last reviewed November 2026.
Tips and common mistakes
- Move 25% to 35% of each payment into a separate tax account.
- A SEP-IRA or solo 401k can lower your income tax.
- Track business expenses all year, every dollar lowers profit.
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Why is self-employment tax so high?
You pay the employee and employer halves, 15.3% in total.
What are the quarterly due dates?
Roughly April, June, September and January. Check the IRS calendar each year.
Is the 20% QBI deduction included?
Yes, without the phase-out limits for some service businesses.
Does it include state tax?
Only as a flat rate you choose.
Is this tax advice?
No. It is an estimate.
Money guides for this topic
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Open calculator →Results are estimates and not financial advice.