Every 2026 Tax Number a Self-Employed Filer Needs

By Muhammad AkbarLast reviewed October 24, 2026How we calculate

In short

For 2026: self-employment tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit, the Social Security wage base is $184,500, the standard deduction is $16,100 single, and the QBI deduction phases out between $201,775 and $276,775. Federal brackets run from 10% to 37%.

Self-employment tax

Item	2026 figure
Combined rate	15.3%
Social Security portion	12.4%
Medicare portion	2.9%
Net earnings adjustment	92.35% of net profit
Social Security wage base	$184,500
Additional Medicare surtax	0.9% above $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (joint)
Filing threshold	$400 of net earnings
Deductible portion	50% of SE tax, against AGI

The 92.35% adjustment exists because an employee's share of payroll tax is not itself taxed; reducing net profit by 7.65% before applying the 15.3% puts the self-employed on comparable footing.

Federal income tax brackets

Rate	Taxable income
10%	$0 – $12,400
12%	$12,401 – $50,400
22%	$50,401 – $105,700
24%	$105,701 – $201,775
32%	$201,776 – $256,225
35%	$256,226 – $640,600
37%	$640,601 and above

Single filer, taxable income, 2026

These are marginal rates. Reaching the 22% bracket does not tax your whole income at 22% — only the portion inside that band.

Deductions

Deduction	2026 limit
Standard deduction, single	$16,100
Standard deduction, married filing jointly	$32,200
QBI deduction	20% of qualified business income
QBI phase-out, single	$201,775 – $276,775
Home office, simplified	$5/sq ft, max 300 sq ft ($1,500)
Standard mileage rate	$0.70 per business mile
Section 179 expensing	up to $1,250,000
Business meals	50% deductible
Self-employed health insurance	100% of premiums, against AGI

Retirement contribution limits

Plan	2026 limit
SEP IRA	25% of net earnings, up to $69,000
Solo 401(k) employee deferral	$23,500
Solo 401(k) total	$69,500
SIMPLE IRA	$16,500
Traditional / Roth IRA	$7,000 ($8,000 if 50 or over)

A solo 401(k) usually beats a SEP IRA at moderate income, because the employee deferral is a flat amount rather than a percentage — at $60,000 of net earnings a SEP allows about $15,000 while a solo 401(k) allows the $23,500 deferral plus an employer contribution on top.

Deadlines

Date	What is due
15 April 2026	Q1 estimated payment; 2025 return or extension
16 June 2026	Q2 estimated payment
15 September 2026	Q3 estimated payment
15 October 2026	Extended 2025 return
15 January 2027	Q4 estimated payment

Capital gains

Rate	Taxable income, single
0%	up to $49,450
15%	$49,451 – $545,500
20%	above $545,500

These long-term rates apply to assets held more than a year. Short-term gains are taxed as ordinary income at your marginal bracket.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the self-employment tax rate for 2026?

15.3%, applied to 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% Social Security on the first $184,500 of net earnings and 2.9% Medicare with no cap, plus an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax above $200,000 for single filers.

What is the 2026 standard deduction?

$16,100 for a single filer and $32,200 for a married couple filing jointly. It reduces federal income tax only — it does not reduce self-employment tax, which is computed on business profit before it.

What is the Social Security wage base for 2026?

$184,500. The 12.4% Social Security portion of self-employment tax stops at that level of net earnings; the 2.9% Medicare portion continues on every dollar above it.

When do I stop paying Social Security tax?

Once your combined W-2 wages and self-employment net earnings reach $184,500 for 2026. Above that only Medicare applies, so the marginal rate on self-employment income drops from 15.3% to 2.9% — or 3.8% once the surtax begins.

Sources

IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 — 2026 inflation adjustments — tax brackets, standard deduction, QBI thresholds.
IRS Schedule SE instructions — Self-employment tax: the 92.35% adjustment, the Social Security wage base, the Medicare surtax.
IRS Form 1040-ES — Estimated tax deadlines and the safe-harbour rules used for the quarterly schedule.
IRS Publication 334 — Tax guide for small business — deductible expenses and net profit.
IRS Social Security wage base — The $184,500 Social Security cap applied for 2026.

How these numbers are produced

Calculations follow the order of operations on the IRS forms themselves: net profit, the 92.35% adjustment, self-employment tax, the 50% deduction against AGI, the standard deduction, the §199A QBI deduction with its phase-out, then the federal brackets. State tax is computed separately on state AGI less that state's own standard deduction, because no state allows the federal QBI deduction and almost none allow the federal standard deduction.

What it does not cover. The calculators model a single filer or a married couple filing jointly with self-employment income as the main source. They do not model local income taxes, W-2 wages held alongside freelance work, itemized deductions, the alternative minimum tax, or credits. Where a local income tax exists, it is described on that state's page.

Not advice. SelfTaxCalc produces estimates, not tax advice. No one here is a CPA, an enrolled agent or a tax attorney, and nothing on this site creates a professional relationship. Estimates are a starting point for planning and for a conversation with a professional — they are not a substitute for one.