New Hampshire 1099 Tax Calculator 2026

How 1099 self-employment tax works in New Hampshire for 2026

If you're paid on a 1099 as a freelancer or independent contractor, you owe self-employment (SE) tax on top of regular income tax — and this is where most first-year freelancers get surprised. SE tax is 15.3% (12.4% for Social Security plus 2.9% for Medicare) applied to 92.35% of your net earnings. Unlike a W-2 employee who splits FICA with an employer, you pay both halves yourself. This calculator applies 2026 federal brackets, your state income tax, and SE tax to your net freelance income so you can see your true after-tax number.

Two adjustments soften the blow. First, you deduct half of your SE tax (the "employer-equivalent" portion) above the line, which lowers your taxable income. Second, the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction under Section 199A can let eligible pass-through owners deduct up to 20% of qualified business income, subject to income thresholds. The Social Security portion of SE tax only applies up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500; the Medicare portion has no cap, and an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax kicks in above $200,000 (single).

Because no employer withholds for you, the IRS expects quarterly estimated payments rather than a single April bill — see the quarterly estimator for due dates and safe-harbor rules. The practical takeaway: set aside roughly 25–30% of every invoice for federal SE and income tax, plus your state rate, and track deductible business expenses carefully, since they reduce both income tax and SE tax.

New Hampshire is one of the states with no state income tax, so your self-employment income here is shaped only by federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare — there is no state layer to subtract, which is why take-home in New Hampshire runs higher than in most states at the same salary.