Know exactly what you owe on your 1099
Enter your 1099 income and we'll calculate your income tax and self-employment tax — in plain English, in under 2 minutes.
Start the 1099 Tax Estimator →What a 1099 actually means for your taxes
When a client, platform, or payer sends you a 1099, it means they paid you money and reported it to the IRS — but withheld nothing. No income tax, no Social Security, no Medicare. That responsibility falls entirely on you.
Most first-time 1099 recipients are surprised by how much they owe. The reason: you're not just paying income tax like a W-2 employee — you're also paying self-employment tax (15.3% on net earnings), which covers Social Security and Medicare for both you and your "employer" (also you). Combined, most freelancers owe 25–35% of net income in federal taxes.
The good news: you can legally reduce that number significantly through business deductions — and our estimator accounts for them automatically.
Quick answers to common 1099 questions
Try the 1099 Deductions Checklist
Before you calculate your tax bill, make sure you're claiming every deduction you're entitled to. Our interactive deductions checklist walks you through every common 1099 write-off — check the ones that apply, and get a running total of how much you can deduct.
Open the Deductions Checklist →