2026 Tax Calculator: Federal + State + SE Tax for Self-Employed
The 2026 tax calculator on this page uses every official IRS figure for tax year 2026 — the income brackets, the standard deduction, the QBI threshold, the Social Security wage base, the §415(c) retirement contribution caps, and the OBBBA-era 1099 thresholds. Results are an estimate of federal income tax + self-employment tax + state income tax for self-employed Americans (1099 contractors, freelancers, gig workers, sole props, single-member LLCs).
Estimate your 2026 taxes in 30 seconds Run the calculator → Federal + state + SE tax · 50-state coverage · No signup
2026 federal tax brackets (TY 2026, filed 2027)
Per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 + OBBBA P.L. 119-21 inflation adjustments. The seven federal income tax brackets in 2026:
Single filers
| Income range | Marginal rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $12,400 | 10% |
| $12,400 – $50,400 | 12% |
| $50,400 – $105,700 | 22% |
| $105,700 – $201,775 | 24% |
| $201,775 – $256,225 | 32% |
| $256,225 – $640,600 | 35% |
| $640,600+ | 37% |
Married filing jointly
| Income range | Marginal rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $24,800 | 10% |
| $24,800 – $100,800 | 12% |
| $100,800 – $211,400 | 22% |
| $211,400 – $403,550 | 24% |
| $403,550 – $512,450 | 32% |
| $512,450 – $768,700 | 35% |
| $768,700+ | 37% |
2026 standard deduction
- Single: $16,100
- Married filing jointly: $32,200
- Head of household: $24,150
- Married filing separately: $16,100
OBBBA permanently raised the post-TCJA standard deduction by ~$750 single / $1,500 MFJ. The 2026 figures above are inflation-adjusted from the OBBBA-raised 2025 baseline.
2026 self-employment tax
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on net SE income × 0.9235. The two components:
- Social Security: 12.4% on net SE up to the $184,500 wage base (TY 2026 — up from $176,100 in 2025)
- Medicare: 2.9% on all net SE income (no cap)
- Additional Medicare: +0.9% on income over $200,000 single / $250,000 MFJ
You can deduct half of your SE tax (the "halfSE deduction") as an above-the-line adjustment to federal AGI. Full SE tax breakdown.
2026 QBI deduction (§199A)
The 20% Qualified Business Income deduction phases in above:
- Single threshold: $201,775 (full phase-in by $276,775)
- MFJ threshold: $403,550 (full phase-in by $553,550)
Below the threshold, both SSTBs and non-SSTBs get the full 20%. Above the threshold:
- SSTBs (consulting, health, law, accounting, financial services, etc.) phase out completely
- Non-SSTBs face the W-2 wage / UBIA limitation — most solo freelancers without W-2 employees lose the deduction
QBI calculator with W-2 wage toggle.
2026 retirement contribution limits
- 401(k) employee deferral: $24,500 (up from $23,500 in 2025)
- Standard catch-up at age 50+: +$8,000 (total $32,500)
- SECURE 2.0 enhanced catch-up at ages 60-63: +$12,000 (total $36,500)
- Solo 401(k) total cap (§415(c)): $72,000 under 50 / $80,000 at 50+ / $84,000 at 60-63
- SEP-IRA cap: $72,000 (matches §415(c))
- IRA contribution limit: $7,000 / $8,000 at 50+ (unchanged from 2025)
- HSA self-only: $4,400 / family $8,750
Solo 401(k) calculator with all four age tiers.
2026 1099 thresholds (post-OBBBA)
- 1099-NEC (services): $2,000 (raised from $600 by OBBBA, effective TY 2026)
- 1099-MISC (rent, prizes): $600 (unchanged)
- 1099-K (PayPal, Venmo, Stripe, Etsy): $20,000 + 200 transactions (OBBBA permanently restored — the $5k/$2.5k/$600 stepdown was repealed)
2026 vehicle + equipment deductions
- Standard mileage rate: $0.70/mile
- Section 179 deduction cap: $2,560,000
- §179 phase-out start: $4,090,000
- Bonus depreciation: 100% permanent (OBBBA — restored from the TCJA glide path that hit 80% in 2023, 60% in 2024, 40% in 2025)
- Passenger vehicle first-year cap: $20,200
- SUV §179 cap: $30,500
2026 quarterly estimated tax deadlines
- Q1: April 15, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Q2: June 15, 2026 (Monday)
- Q3: September 15, 2026 (Tuesday)
- Q4: January 15, 2027 (Friday)
State deadlines often differ — Hawaii adds 5 days (Apr 20 / Jun 20 / Sep 20 / Jan 20), Iowa uses month-ends (Apr 30 / Jun 30 / Sep 30 / Jan 31), Virginia Q1 is May 1, Delaware Q1 is April 30. Your state.
2026 underpayment penalty rate
The IRS underpayment penalty is the federal short-term rate + 3%, recalculated quarterly. For 2026:
- Q1 2026: 7%
- Q2-Q4 2026: 6%
Avoid the penalty by hitting safe harbor: pay 100% of last year's tax (110% if prior-AGI > $150k). Safe-harbor guide.
What's new in 2026 vs 2025
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Std deduction (single) | $15,000 | $16,100 | +$1,100 |
| Std deduction (MFJ) | $30,000 | $32,200 | +$2,200 |
| Top 37% bracket (single) | $626,350 | $640,600 | +$14,250 |
| SS wage base | $176,100 | $184,500 | +$8,400 |
| 401(k) employee deferral | $23,500 | $24,500 | +$1,000 |
| §415(c) DC plan limit | $70,000 | $72,000 | +$2,000 |
| QBI threshold (single) | $201,750 | $201,775 | +$25 |
| §179 cap | $1,250,000 | $2,560,000 | +$1.31M (OBBBA) |
| 1099-NEC threshold | $600 | $2,000 | +$1,400 (OBBBA) |
| Mileage rate | $0.70 | $0.70 | no change |
How the calculator works
- Enter gross income — your total 1099 / freelance / business revenue for 2026
- Subtract business expenses — Schedule C deductions (home office, mileage, equipment, software, etc.)
- Calculator computes net SE income — gross minus expenses
- SE tax applied to net SE × 0.9235 at 15.3% (with SS cap at $184,500)
- Half-SE deduction subtracted from AGI (above-the-line)
- Retirement + health insurance contributions reduce AGI further
- Standard deduction ($16,100 / $32,200 / $24,150) and QBI deduction reduce taxable income
- Federal income tax applied at 2026 brackets
- State income tax applied at your state's rate (50-state coverage)
- Result: total annual tax + monthly + quarterly estimated payment
Ready to estimate your 2026 taxes? Run the calculator → Federal + state + SE tax in 30 seconds. 50-state coverage. Always free.
Related tools
- 2026 federal tax bracket calculator
- Compare two states side-by-side
- QBI 20% deduction calculator
- Solo 401(k) contribution calculator
- §179 + bonus depreciation vehicle calculator
- 1099 vs W-2 take-home compare
Related guides
- Estimated tax payments complete guide
- 2026 quarterly deadlines + state quirks
- SE tax explained — 15.3% breakdown
- QBI 20% deduction guide
- Safe harbor — skip the math
- How much to save from each freelance check
Estimates only — not tax, legal, or financial advice. Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (TY 2026 inflation adjustments), IRS Notice 2025-67 (TY 2026 retirement plan limits), OBBBA P.L. 119-21 (1099 thresholds + bonus depreciation + §179), state DOR guidance for state rates and deadlines. For decisions affecting your finances, consult a licensed CPA or enrolled agent.