Tool
Owner-operator quarterly tax estimator
Estimate your quarterly federal estimated tax payment — self-employment tax plus income tax on net profit — so you can set aside the right amount each week and avoid underpayment penalties.
This tool provides general estimates for planning purposes. Tax rates, deductible expenses, and thresholds change annually. Consult a tax professional before filing. This is not tax advice.
Quarterly tax estimate
Weekly set-aside recommendation
| Weekly gross revenue | — |
|---|---|
| Suggested weekly set-aside | — |
| Set-aside as % of gross | — |
How self-employment tax works for owner-operators
Owner-operators pay self-employment tax (SE tax) instead of having FICA payroll taxes withheld by an employer. SE tax is 15.3% of net self-employment income — 12.4% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base, approximately $168,600 in 2024) and 2.9% for Medicare with no wage base limit.
The 50% SE tax deduction
The IRS allows owner-operators to deduct half of the SE tax from gross income before calculating income tax. This is an above-the-line deduction — it reduces your taxable income even if you take the standard deduction. This tool applies that deduction to the income tax calculation, which is why the taxable income shown is lower than net profit.
Quarterly due dates
Estimated tax payments are generally due four times per year: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year (for Q4). Missing a payment or underpaying results in an underpayment penalty. The safe-harbor rule: pay at least 100% of last year's tax liability (or 110% if prior-year AGI was over $150,000) across the four quarters to avoid penalties, regardless of actual current-year income.
State income tax
Most states with an income tax also require quarterly estimated payments from self-employed individuals. State rates and due dates vary. Add your state marginal rate to the federal income tax rate field to get a combined estimate — or run the calculation separately for federal and state.