Louisiana Self-Employment Tax Calculator (2026)
Federal self-employment tax, federal income tax and Louisiana state income tax on 1099 income, plus the quarterly estimated payment to set aside.
- Total tax
- $16,425
- Effective rate
- 22.8%
- Per quarter
- $4,106
- After-tax income
- $55,575
| Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Net profit (income − expenses) | $72,000 |
| Self-employment tax | $10,173 |
| Social Security (12.4%) | $8,245 |
| Medicare (2.9%) | $1,928 |
| Federal income tax | $4,630 |
| Adjusted gross income | $66,913 |
| Standard deduction | −$16,100 |
| Qualified business income deduction (20%) | −$10,163 |
| Taxable income · marginal rate 12.0% | $40,651 |
| Louisiana income tax | $1,621 |
| Total federal + state | $16,425 |
Estimated payments of $4,106 are due Apr 15, 2026, Jun 15, 2026, Sep 15, 2026, Jan 15, 2027.
How the 2026 numbers are calculated
- Net profit is your 1099 income minus deductible business expenses (Schedule C).
- Self-employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% Social Security on the first $184,500 of combined wages and net earnings, plus 2.9% Medicare on all of it. An extra 0.9% Medicare tax applies above $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly).
- Adjusted gross income is net profit plus any W-2 wages, minus half of the self-employment tax.
- The standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household) and the 20% qualified business income deduction reduce taxable income. The QBI deduction starts phasing out above $201,750 of taxable income ($403,500 joint).
- Federal income tax is applied to what is left using the 2026 brackets for your filing status.
- The child tax credit ($2,200 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent) reduces income tax; up to $1,700 per child is refundable and can offset self-employment tax.
- The earned income credit for filers with children — up to $4,427 with one child, $7,316 with two, $8,231 with three or more — is fully refundable and phases out above $23,890 of income ($31,160 joint).
- Louisiana income tax: calculated under the state's own rules, described below.
Louisiana and self-employment income
Louisiana rewrote its income tax for 2025: a single 3% rate replaced the three brackets, the standard deduction rose to $12,500 single / $25,000 joint and head of household ($12,875 / $25,750 for 2026 after the first inflation adjustment), and the old exemptions for dependents were folded into it. Louisiana starts from federal AGI, so the deduction for half of self-employment tax carries over; the 20% QBI deduction and federal income tax are not deductible.
Louisiana rules used by this calculator (2026)
- Louisiana applies a flat 3% rate for 2026.
- Standard deduction: $12,875 single, $25,750 married filing jointly, $25,750 head of household.
- Louisiana's earned income credit is 5% of the federal credit, refundable; the calculator applies it.
- Louisiana starts from federal AGI, so the deductible half of self-employment tax reduces state income as well.
- Louisiana has no parish or municipal income taxes.
What a Louisiana freelancer may still owe
- Louisiana requires estimated payments (Form IT-540ES) when you expect to owe $1,000 or more after credits.
- There is no parish or city income tax, but most parishes require an occupational license for a business. Applied here: the refundable Louisiana earned income credit (5% of the federal credit). The refundable child care credit for incomes up to $25,000 is not included.
Quarterly estimated tax deadlines (2026)
If you expect to owe $1,000 or more of federal tax for the year, the IRS expects four estimated payments (Form 1040-ES). Louisiana runs its own estimated-payment schedule with its own threshold (see above); the calculator's per-quarter figure combines federal and state so you can set aside one amount.
- Federal payment 1: April 15, 2026
- Federal payment 2: June 15, 2026
- Federal payment 3: September 15, 2026
- Federal payment 4: January 15, 2027
The calculator splits your total into four equal payments. To avoid an underpayment penalty you can instead pay 100% of last year's total tax (110% if your prior-year AGI was over $150,000) spread across the four dates.
Common questions
Does Louisiana tax self-employment income differently from wages?
For state income tax, net profit from self-employment is ordinary income like wages. The self-employment tax itself is federal only; Louisiana does not add a state equivalent.
Is half of self-employment tax really deductible?
Yes, for federal tax. The employer-equivalent half is an adjustment to income on Schedule 1, which lowers your AGI and therefore your federal income tax. It does not reduce the self-employment tax itself.
Does an LLC change these numbers?
A single-member LLC taxed as a sole proprietorship pays exactly what this calculator shows. Electing S-corporation status changes the math (salary plus distributions) and is outside this tool's scope.
What if I moved to Louisiana during the year?
Income earned while you were a resident of another state is taxable there under that state's rules. This calculator assumes all income was earned as a Louisiana resident.
Data sources and status
Federal figures for 2026: verified · last verified 2026-09-05
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments, incorporating OBBBA changes)
- SSA 2026 COLA fact sheet — Social Security wage base
- 26 U.S.C. §199A as amended by Public Law 119-21 — QBI phase-in range widened to $75,000 / $150,000
- 26 U.S.C. §24 as amended by Public Law 119-21 — CTC $2,200, indexed from 2026
- IRS Form 1040-ES (2026) — estimated tax due dates
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 §4.06 — earned income credit amounts and §32(i) investment income limit
- IRC §6654(d)(1)(B)–(C), (e)(1) and (f) (required annual payment: lesser of 90% of the current year's tax or 100% of the prior year's, 110% when prior-year AGI exceeds $150,000 / $75,000 MFS; no penalty when the tax less withholding is under $1,000; 'tax' = income tax + SE tax less credits other than withholding), read at law.cornell.edu; Form 1040-ES instructions, 'Who Must Pay Estimated Tax' and the Estimated Tax Worksheet
Louisiana figures for 2026: verified · last verified 2026-09-08
- Louisiana Department of Revenue — 2026 Form IT-540ES instructions (IT-540ESi): estimated tax worksheet with the 2026 standard deduction $12,875 single / married filing separately and $25,750 joint / head of household / qualifying surviving spouse, and the 3% rate
- Louisiana Department of Revenue — 2026 withholding notice of intent using the same $12,875 / $25,750, computed on a September-to-September CPI-U of about 3.0%, with the Department's caveat that the final amounts 'may differ slightly' once the December-to-December index is applied (the Legislative Fiscal Office's note puts that at about 2.68%, i.e. roughly $12,835 / $25,670)
- R.S. 47:294 as amended by Act 11 of the 2024 Third Extraordinary Session (CPI-U indexation of the standard deduction from 2026)
- Louisiana Department of Revenue — 2025 Form IT-540 line 16 and the Louisiana earned income credit worksheet (federal credit × 5%, refundable); R.S. 47:297.8 (5% for 2019–2030, 3.5% after; unchanged by any 2025 or 2026 act — the repeal and increase bills died in committee)