About TaxCalc

Our Mission

TaxCalc exists because 60+ million Americans work for themselves — and most of them figure out their taxes alone, with confusing IRS forms and no help. We believe understanding your tax obligations shouldn't require a $400 CPA visit or reading 100-page IRS publications.

Our mission is simple: provide accurate, free, instant tax estimates for self-employed individuals, freelancers, independent contractors, and gig workers in all 50 states. No signup. No paywall. No email capture. Just the numbers you need, calculated correctly.

Our Data Sources

Every calculation on this site is built on official data:

• Federal tax brackets and rates — IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and IR-2025-103 (tax year 2026 inflation adjustments)
• Self-employment tax rules — IRS Schedule SE instructions and Publication 334
• State tax rates — Each state's Department of Revenue publications, cross-verified with the Tax Foundation's annual survey
• LLC fees and filing requirements — State Secretary of State offices

Tax data refreshes automatically. When the IRS or a state changes a rate, our calculators update within 24 hours.

Accuracy Standards

Our calculators implement the exact formulas from IRS forms — the same steps a tax professional follows. This includes:

• Self-employment tax at 15.3% (12.4% SS on first $184,500 + 2.9% Medicare, 2026)
• 92.35% net earnings adjustment
• 50% SE tax deduction
• Standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married, 2026)
• QBI deduction (20%) with phase-out thresholds
• Seven federal brackets (10% to 37%) applied progressively
• All 50 state income tax structures

Important: Our calculators provide estimates, not tax advice. They do not account for itemized deductions, credits, capital losses, or AMT. See our full disclaimer and methodology.

Why Trust Us

• Data sourced directly from IRS and state tax agencies
• Updated for the 2026 tax year
• Transparent methodology — every formula documented
• No conflicts of interest — we sell nothing, recommend no products
• 100% free, no signup, no data collection