Freelance & Self-Employed Tax Estimate

Estimate self-employment tax, the Section 199A qualified business income deduction, and federal + state income tax together — one total tax liability and a per-payment set-aside percentage.

Quick answer: Combine self-employment tax, the Section 199A qualified business income deduction, and federal + state income tax into one estimated total tax liability and quarterly set-aside percentage. Enter Gross freelance / 1099 revenue, Deductible business expenses, Filing status, and State to personalize the estimate. It returns Total estimated annual tax, Self-employment tax, and Federal income tax so you can compare the impact before choosing a next step. Use it to estimate tax impact, withholding, deduction, bracket, and after-tax cash-flow tradeoffs.

Your decision

Estimated 2026 tax on $90,000 in gross revenue: $17,999 total (20.00% effective rate) — about $4,500 per quarter.

Recommended: Set aside 20.00% of every payment

Total estimated annual tax

$17,999

20.00% of gross revenue

Self-employment tax plus federal and state income tax on your net profit.

Self-employment tax

$10,597

Social Security + Medicare

92.35% of net profit, 12.4% Social Security up to the wage base, 2.9% Medicare, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax above the threshold.

Federal income tax

$4,898

after $10,720 QBI deduction

Taxable income after the standard deduction, half of your regular SE tax, and the Section 199A deduction, taxed at 2026 federal brackets.

State income tax

$2,504

California

Estimated using your state's 2026 brackets or flat rate. Local/city tax, if any, is not included.

Recommended set-aside

Watch

20.00%

of every payment

Move this share of each incoming payment to a separate account so quarterly taxes are already funded.

Estimated quarterly payment

$4,500

marginal federal rate 12.00%

Total annual tax divided evenly across four payments. Does not apply the IRS prior-year safe-harbor rule.

Ranked options

#1Set aside 20.00% of every payment
Moving $4,500 per quarter to a dedicated savings account covers this estimate. Use the Quarterly Estimated Tax calculator to apply the IRS safe-harbor rule to your actual required payment.
Confidence: MediumEffort: LowRisk: Low

Watch-outs

• This is a planning estimate, not a tax return. It excludes federal and state tax credits, married-filing-separately, local/city income tax, and the IRS prior-year safe-harbor rule for quarterly payments (use the Quarterly Estimated Tax calculator for that). It assumes $0 net capital gains for the Section 199A deduction cap.

Assumptions used

Gross revenue: $90,000
Business expenses: $15,000
Net profit: $75,000
Filing status: single
State: California
Social Security wage base: $184,500
Additional Medicare Tax threshold: $200,000
QBI phase-out threshold: $201,775
QBI phase-out range: $75,000

Estimates based on your assumptions above — roughly indicative, not financial, tax, or legal advice.

Next steps

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Why this matters

Freelance and 1099 income has no employer withholding, so taxes are easy to underestimate until a large bill arrives. Combining self-employment tax, the QBI deduction, and ordinary income tax into one number makes it easier to set aside the right share of every payment as it comes in.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as self-employment tax?

The 15.3% combined Social Security and Medicare tax a freelancer pays on 92.35% of net profit — both the employee and employer share a W-2 job would otherwise split. Social Security applies only up to the annual wage base; Medicare has an Additional Medicare Tax above a filing-status threshold.

What is the Section 199A / QBI deduction?

A deduction of up to 20% of qualified business income for pass-through businesses like sole proprietorships. It phases out over a taxable-income range that depends on filing status and, above that range, on whether the business pays W-2 wages or owns significant depreciable property.

Does this include local or city tax?

No. State tax uses your state's real 2026 brackets or flat rate, but city/local income tax (for example NYC, Philadelphia, or Ohio RITA municipalities) is not modeled here — this tool flags when your state has one so you know to check separately.

How should I use the quarterly payment figure?

It is the total estimate divided evenly by four, not the IRS prior-year safe-harbor calculation. Use the Quarterly Estimated Tax calculator for the actual required-payment rule if you want to avoid an underpayment penalty.

This tool produces estimates based on the assumptions you enter. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Actual rates, fees, and outcomes depend on your lender, account terms, and approval.