Self-Employed Tax Deductions Calculator 2025–2026
Freelancer, 1099 contractor, creator or side gig? Find the deductions that fit your work, and see how much they could save you.
Pick your kind of work to see the write-offs that usually matter most.
How deductions lower your taxes
When you work for yourself, you pay tax on your profit, not on everything you take in. Every business expense you deduct lowers your profit, which saves you self-employment tax (15.3% of 92.35% of it) and income tax at your tax rate. For many people, a dollar of expenses saves 25 to 40 cents in federal tax.
Short-term rental income, like most Airbnb hosting, usually goes on Schedule E with no self-employment tax, so its expenses save income tax only.
Frequently asked questions
What can I deduct as a self-employed person?
Any cost that is ordinary and necessary for your work: supplies, equipment, software, advertising, business insurance, professional fees, business travel, car mileage, a home office and more. Personal costs don't count.
Should I use the standard mileage rate or my actual car costs?
The standard mileage rate is simpler: 70 cents a mile for 2025, and for 2026, 72.5 cents a mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1. It covers gas, repairs, insurance and depreciation, so you add only parking and tolls. Actual costs can come out higher for an expensive car, but you need receipts for everything and the business share of each.
How does the home office deduction work?
If you use part of your home regularly and only for work, the simplified method lets you deduct $5 a square foot, up to 300 square feet ($1,500). The regular method uses the actual share of your rent or mortgage interest, utilities and insurance.
Do deductions lower my self-employment tax?
Business expenses do: they lower your net profit, which both self-employment tax and income tax are based on. Health insurance premiums and retirement savings lower your income tax only.
Can I deduct meals?
Half of the cost of business meals counts, for example with a client or while traveling for work. Meals on your own during a normal workday don't count.
What records should I keep?
Receipts, bank and card statements, invoices, and a mileage log with the date, miles and purpose of each trip. Keep them for at least three years after you file.
More tax calculators and money-saving tools
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- Tax Bracket CalculatorFind your federal tax bracket and your effective tax rate.
- W-4 Withholding CalculatorCheck the tax taken out of your paycheck and see what to change on your W-4.
- Self-Employed Tax CalculatorEstimate your self-employment tax, income tax and quarterly payments.
- Crypto Tax CalculatorWork out the gain or loss, and the tax, on a crypto sale.
- Tax Reform CalculatorSee how the new tax law, in effect since 2025, changes your taxes, line by line.
Want every deduction you are owed?
Our tax experts know the write-offs for your line of work, and can prepare and file your return with your Schedule C or Schedule E.
These calculators give estimates of federal tax for planning, not tax advice. Pinnacle Tax Professionals confirms the final numbers when we prepare your return.
