1099 Tax Calculator
Estimate your 2026 self-employment tax, federal income tax, and what to send the IRS each quarter.
Your numbers
1099 income minus business expenses
Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or saved.
Suggested quarterly payment
$0
$0 total estimated 2026 federal tax · 0.0% effective rate
2026 quarterly payment deadlines
Four payments cover the tax year. If a date lands on a weekend or federal holiday, it moves to the next business day.
| Quarter | Income earned | Payment due | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2026 | April 15, 2026 | |
| Q2 | Apr 1 – May 31, 2026 | June 15, 2026 | |
| Q3 | Jun 1 – Aug 31, 2026 | September 15, 2026 | |
| Q4 | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 |
The safe harbor: how to guarantee no penalty
Pay 100% of last year's total tax — 110% if your prior-year AGI was over $150,000 — in four equal installments, and no underpayment penalty applies no matter what 2026 actually turns out to be. It is the one number you already know for certain, which makes it the safest target when this year's income is hard to predict. You still settle the real balance when you file.
How this is calculated
- Net earnings from self-employment. Your net profit is multiplied by 92.35%. The 7.65% that comes off mirrors the employer half of payroll tax that an employee never pays out of their own wages.
- Self-employment tax at 15.3%. 12.4% Social Security on those net earnings up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500 — W-2 wages fill that base first — plus 2.9% Medicare with no cap, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare above $200,000 single or $250,000 married filing jointly.
- Deduction for half the SE tax. Half of the Social Security and Medicare portions comes off your income before income tax is figured. The Additional Medicare portion is not deductible.
- 2026 standard deduction. $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly.
- Qualified business income deduction. A simplified 20% of your business income after the half-SE-tax deduction, capped at 20% of taxable income. Phase-outs for high earners and specified service businesses are not modeled.
- 2026 federal brackets. Income tax is stacked bracket by bracket on what is left, then added to the SE tax. Any W-2 withholding you entered is subtracted, and the remainder is split into four equal quarterly payments.
What this doesn't include
- State and local income tax — several states also collect quarterly estimates
- Itemized deductions, if they would beat the standard deduction
- Tax credits such as the child tax credit, education credits, or the premium tax credit
- QBI phase-outs for high earners and specified service businesses
- S-corporation and C-corporation structures, and reasonable-salary planning
- Capital gains, dividends, interest, rental income, retirement contributions, and spousal income
These are estimates. They are close enough to plan quarterly payments around, not to file from.
Keep reading
- Quarterly estimated taxes for freelancers: how they work
- What changed with 1099 reporting thresholds in 2026
- The freelancer tax season checklist
Need the contract behind the income?
Paid on time beats calculating what you owe on money you never collected. Generate a freelance contract with clear payment terms in a couple of minutes.
Generate a contract →Frequently asked questions
How much should I set aside for taxes as a 1099 contractor?
A common rule of thumb is 25% to 30% of your net profit, but the real number depends on your income and filing status. Self-employment tax alone is 15.3% of 92.35% of net profit, and federal income tax sits on top of that at your marginal rate. Run your own figures through the calculator to get a specific number, then move that share of every payment into a separate account as invoices are paid.
When are quarterly estimated taxes due for 2026?
There are four due dates: April 15, 2026 for income earned January through March; June 15, 2026 for April and May; September 15, 2026 for June through August; and January 15, 2027 for September through December. When a due date falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?
The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% — 12.4% for Social Security plus 2.9% for Medicare — charged on 92.35% of your net self-employment profit. The Social Security portion stops once wages and self-employment earnings reach the $184,500 Social Security wage base for 2026. The Medicare portion is uncapped, and an additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to combined wages and self-employment earnings above $200,000 single or $250,000 married filing jointly.
Is this calculator a substitute for a tax professional?
No. It produces a simplified federal estimate. It leaves out state and local tax, itemized deductions, tax credits, QBI phase-outs for high earners and specified service businesses, and anything specific to your situation. Use it to size your quarterly payments, and confirm your actual filing with a CPA or licensed tax professional.
This calculator provides a simplified federal estimate for general information, not tax advice. Confirm current figures with IRS.gov and consult a CPA or licensed tax professional about your specific situation.