Reference · tax years 2026 and 2027
2026 and 2027 tax numbers for the self-employed
Every federal figure a freelancer, 1099 contractor or gig worker needs for 2026, on one page. Each one links to the IRS or Social Security page it comes from. Our 1099 tax calculator uses the same numbers. The IRS released the 2027 figures on November 5, 2026, so they have their own section below.
Last checked November 11, 2026 · Updated when the IRS changes a figure · Cite this page
The 2026 figures at a glance
| Figure | 2026 | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employment tax rate | 15.3% | 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare, on 92.35% of net self-employment earnings. Owed once those earnings reach $400. Self-employment tax, explained → | IRS Topic 554 |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 | The 12.4% part stops above this, counting W-2 wages first. The 2.9% Medicare part has no cap. | Social Security |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% | On wages and self-employment earnings above $200,000 (single and head of household), $250,000 (married filing jointly) or $125,000 (married filing separately). | IRS Q&A |
| Standard deduction | $16,100 | $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $16,100 married filing separately, $24,150 head of household. | Rev. Proc. 2025-32 |
| Qualified business income (QBI) deduction | Up to 20% | Of business profit. Limits start above $201,750 of taxable income ($403,500 jointly, $201,775 married filing separately) and phase in over the next $75,000 ($150,000 jointly). New for 2026: a minimum deduction of $400 if you have at least $1,000 of qualified business income from a business you actively run. | Rev. Proc. 2025-32 |
| Business mileage rate | 72.5¢ then 76¢ | 72.5 cents a mile for January 1 to June 30, 76 cents from July 1 to December 31, 2026. How to use both 2026 rates → | IRS mileage rates |
| Home office, simplified method | $5 a sq ft | Up to 300 square feet, so at most $1,500. | IRS Topic 509 |
| Who must pay estimated tax | $1,000 | You generally need quarterly payments if you expect to owe at least $1,000 for 2026 after withholding and refundable credits. When quarterly taxes are due → | Form 1040-ES |
| Safe harbor (no underpayment penalty) | 90% / 100% / 110% | Pay the smaller of 90% of your 2026 tax or 100% of your 2025 tax, 110% if your 2025 adjusted gross income was over $150,000 ($75,000 married filing separately), split across the four due dates. The safe harbor, explained → | Form 1040-ES |
| Underpayment penalty rate | 7% a year | The IRS interest rate on underpayments: 7% for January to March, 6% for April to June, 7% for July to December 2026. Set every quarter. How the penalty is figured → | IRS interest rates |
| Form 1099-NEC threshold | $2,000 | For payments made in 2026, up from $600. You owe tax on all your income whether or not you get a form. Form 1099-NEC guide → | 1099-NEC instructions |
| Form 1099-K threshold | Over $20,000 | Payment apps and online marketplaces send one when your payments for goods or services are over $20,000 and more than 200 transactions. Form 1099-K guide → | IRS 1099-K page |
| No tax on tips deduction | Up to $25,000 | Of qualified tips, phasing out above $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income ($300,000 jointly). It’s taken on Schedule 1-A, so it lowers taxable income, not self-employment tax. | IRS tips page |
New · released November 5, 2026
The 2027 figures released so far
The IRS published its 2027 inflation adjustments in IR-2026-133 and Rev. Proc. 2026-35. These apply to income you earn in 2027, which you report in 2028. For your 2026 taxes, use the table above.
| Figure | 2027 | 2026 | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $16,600 | 2026: $16,100 | $16,600 single, $33,200 married filing jointly, $16,600 married filing separately, $24,925 head of household. | Rev. Proc. 2026-35 |
| Social Security wage base | $192,300 | 2026: $184,500 | The 12.4% Social Security part of self-employment tax stops above this. The 15.3% total rate doesn’t change. | SSA, via JofA |
| QBI deduction limits start | $208,300 | 2026: $201,750 | Of taxable income ($416,600 jointly, $208,325 married filing separately), phasing in over the next $75,000 ($150,000 jointly). The minimum deduction rises to $415, for at least $1,030 of qualified business income. | Rev. Proc. 2026-35 |
| Form 1099-NEC threshold | $2,100 | 2026: $2,000 | For payments made in 2027, now adjusted for inflation each year. Also applies to Form 1099-MISC. | Rev. Proc. 2026-35 |
| Top 37% bracket starts | Over $661,375 | 2026: Over $640,600 | Taxable income, single filers (over $793,650 jointly). The seven rates stay at 10% to 37%; every band is wider. Full table below. | Rev. Proc. 2026-35 |
Not out yet: the 2027 business mileage rate (the IRS usually announces it in December) and the 2027 Form 1040-ES with the estimated tax due dates. We’ll add them the day they’re published. Self-employment tax stays 15.3%, and the Additional Medicare Tax thresholds aren’t adjusted for inflation.
2027 tax brackets
Federal income tax for 2027, on taxable income. Same seven rates as 2026, with every band wider. What they mean for your quarterly payments: 2027 tax brackets for the self-employed.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Married filing separately | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $12,800 | $0 to $25,600 | $0 to $12,800 | $0 to $18,250 |
| 12% | $12,801 to $52,025 | $25,601 to $104,050 | $12,801 to $52,025 | $18,251 to $69,650 |
| 22% | $52,026 to $109,125 | $104,051 to $218,250 | $52,026 to $109,125 | $69,651 to $109,100 |
| 24% | $109,126 to $208,325 | $218,251 to $416,650 | $109,126 to $208,325 | $109,101 to $208,300 |
| 32% | $208,326 to $264,550 | $416,651 to $529,100 | $208,326 to $264,550 | $208,301 to $264,550 |
| 35% | $264,551 to $661,375 | $529,101 to $793,650 | $264,551 to $396,825 | $264,551 to $661,350 |
| 37% | over $661,375 | over $793,650 | over $396,825 | over $661,350 |
Source: Rev. Proc. 2026-35 (2027 brackets, standard deduction, QBI, 1099-NEC).
Estimated tax due dates
The four payments for tax year 2026. The quarters aren’t equal: the second covers two months and the fourth covers four. More in the due dates guide.
| Payment | Covers income from | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan 1 to Mar 31, 2026 | April 15, 2026 |
| Q2 | Apr 1 to May 31, 2026 | June 15, 2026 |
| Q3 | Jun 1 to Aug 31, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Q4 | Sep 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 |
Add the due dates to your calendar (.ics, for Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook)
2026 tax brackets
Federal income tax for 2026, on taxable income: what’s left after the standard deduction and the QBI deduction. Each rate applies only to the income inside its band.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Married filing separately | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $12,400 | $0 to $24,800 | $0 to $12,400 | $0 to $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,401 to $50,400 | $24,801 to $100,800 | $12,401 to $50,400 | $17,701 to $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,401 to $105,700 | $100,801 to $211,400 | $50,401 to $105,700 | $67,451 to $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,701 to $201,775 | $211,401 to $403,550 | $105,701 to $201,775 | $105,701 to $201,750 |
| 32% | $201,776 to $256,225 | $403,551 to $512,450 | $201,776 to $256,225 | $201,751 to $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,226 to $640,600 | $512,451 to $768,700 | $256,226 to $384,350 | $256,201 to $640,600 |
| 37% | over $640,600 | over $768,700 | over $384,350 | over $640,600 |
Source: Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 brackets, standard deduction, QBI).
For writers, teachers and resource pages
Use these numbers.
Quote any figure here in an article, a class handout or a client newsletter. Please link back to this page so readers can check the source and get the next year’s numbers when we update it. Each row has its own link, too: add #mileage-rate or #safe-harbor to the address.
The tables are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit Paid & Filed with a link to this page.
Found something out of date? Email hello@paidandfiled.com and we’ll fix it. How we check our numbers.
Sources
- Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 brackets, standard deduction, QBI)
- Form 1040-ES (2026): due dates, safe harbor, $1,000 rule
- IRS Topic 554: self-employment tax
- SSA: contribution and benefit base
- IRS: Additional Medicare Tax questions and answers
- IRS: Standard mileage rates
- IRS Topic 509: business use of home
- IRS: Quarterly interest rates
- IRS: Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC
- IRS: Understanding your Form 1099-K
- IRS: What the no tax on tips deduction means for you
- Rev. Proc. 2026-35 (2027 brackets, standard deduction, QBI, 1099-NEC)
- Journal of Accountancy: 2027 Social Security wage base (SSA, October 14, 2026)
Federal figures only; your state has its own. The 2026 figures were checked against these pages on November 1, 2026 (the Social Security wage base on October 29), the 2027 figures on November 11, 2026. General information for planning, not tax advice.