TOOLS / FOR SELLERS

What to set aside for taxes

Nobody withholds tax for you anymore. Enter your net self-employment income and get a rough number to park before it's due.

$
Profit after business expenses — what's left, not what you invoiced.
%
On top of SE tax, for federal + state income tax. 10–15% is a common starting guess — your bracket and state decide the real number.
SELF-EMPLOYMENT TAX$—
TOTAL TO SET ASIDE$—
PER QUARTER$—

Estimate only — not tax advice. Confirm with a licensed professional.

How this is calculated

Self-employment tax covers Social Security and Medicare. The rate is 15.3%, applied to 92.35% of your net earnings (the IRS lets you exclude a slice first): net × 0.9235 × 0.153. The income-tax set-aside is a flat percentage you choose, applied to your net income — it stands in for federal and state income tax, which depend on your bracket, deductions, and where you live.

This is a planning number, not a return. It ignores the deductible half of SE tax, the QBI deduction, credits, and anything state-specific — all of which move the real figure. Treat it as "roughly this much should not be spent," then let a professional finalize it. The basics are covered infreelance taxes, explained simply, and once you know your buffer, the take-home pay calculator shows what's actually yours.