Estimate 1099 Taxes Owed

This tool estimates a balance due: SE tax plus an income-tax percent you type, minus estimated payments you have made.

Use it near a due date to see whether you are short. The result is an estimate for planning.

2026 net profit ($)Income-tax percent (%)Estimated payments already made ($)

Estimate

Estimate only. Leaves out the additional 0.9% Medicare tax, credits, deductions other than the SE-tax half, and state tax.

Worked example

Say net profit is $30,000. Net earnings are $30,000 x 92.35% = $27,705. SE tax is about $27,705 x 15.3% = $4,239. If you type 15% for income tax, that adds about $4,500. Total estimated tax is near $8,739. If you paid $6,000 in estimates, the balance due is about $2,739. The employer-equivalent half of SE tax (about $2,120) is deductible in figuring AGI, which affects income tax only.

Common mistakes

Forgetting payments made through the year. Using a percent that does not match your situation. Missing that estimated tax is generally required if you expect to owe $1,000 or more.

Records to keep

Keep each estimated payment confirmation with date and amount. Save your profit and expense totals. These support the 90% or 100% safe-harbor check.

• IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
• IRS: Estimated taxes

Questions

What goes into the balance due?

SE tax plus your income-tax percent, minus estimated payments made.

When is estimated tax required?

Generally if you expect to owe $1,000 or more.

How do I avoid a penalty?

Pay at least 90% of current-year tax or 100% of prior-year tax.

Data checked 2026-10-31 against the linked irs.gov pages.