Self-Employment Tax
- Broadridge Content
If you are self-employed, you generally must file a Schedule SE, Form 1040, and pay an additional tax on your self-employment income. The federal government uses this tax to fund Social Security and Medicare benefits. The self-employment tax rate on net earnings is 15.3%, with 12.4% of this rate for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. The maximum amount subject to the Social Security portion of the tax rate is currently $184,500 (in 2026 up from $178,100 in 2025). All net earnings of at least $400 are subject to the Medicare portion of the tax rate.
