# What is self-employment tax and how do I calculate it?

Olivia Watson · August 4, 2026

> The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% for 2024, which is higher than the 7.65% paid by regular employees. The 15.3% self-employment tax is split...

The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% for 2024, which is higher than the 7.65% paid by regular employees.

The 15.3% self-employment tax is split between 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.

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Only the first $168,600 of net earnings in 2024 is subject to the Social Security portion of the self-employment tax, up from $160,200 in 2023.

Self-employed individuals can deduct half of their self-employment tax as an adjustment to their income, effectively lowering their taxable income.

If your net earnings exceed $200,000 for single filers or $250,000 for joint filers, you may owe an additional 0.9% Medicare tax.

The self-employment tax is calculated on 92.35% of your net earnings from self-employment, not your gross revenue.

Quarterly estimated tax payments are required for self-employed individuals to avoid underpayment penalties from the IRS.

Business expenses can be deducted from your net earnings before calculating the self-employment tax, reducing your overall tax liability.

The self-employment tax is in addition to regular income taxes, which self-employed individuals must also pay on their net earnings.

Self-employed individuals can use online calculators or tax software to estimate their self-employment tax liability and plan for quarterly payments.

Maintaining accurate records of income and expenses is crucial for self-employed individuals to properly calculate and report their self-employment tax.

Seeking advice from tax professionals can help self-employed individuals maximize deductions and plan effectively for their self-employment tax obligations.

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