2 guides
Freelance & Business
The costs employees never see. Setting a rate that survives unbillable hours and both halves of payroll tax, and working out what to set aside each quarter so the tax bill is funded before it arrives.
July 8, 2026 · 8 min read
On $85,000 of Self-Employed Income, Set Aside $5,307.50 Every Quarter
Self-employment tax is the line that catches people out: 15.3% on top of income tax, with no employer paying half. Here is the full calculation, the safe-harbour rule that prevents penalties, and why 25% to 30% is the figure to move on receipt.
June 17, 2026 · 8 min readTo Take Home $90,000 Freelancing, You Need to Bill $132.76 an Hour
Dividing your target salary by 2,080 hours produces $43.27 and a business that fails within two years. Here is the full calculation, including the two costs that employees never see and the hours you cannot bill.
Calculators for freelance & business
Income Tax CalculatorEstimate your federal income tax, effective rate, and marginal bracket using 2024 tax tables.Salary CalculatorConvert pay between hourly, weekly, monthly, and annual amounts.Take-Home-Paycheck CalculatorEstimate your net pay after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, and 401(k).Budget CalculatorAdd up your monthly expenses against income to find your surplus and savings rate.Commission CalculatorCalculate commission earnings from a sale amount and rate, plus total pay with any base salary.Business Loan CalculatorEstimate a business loan's payment, total interest, and true APR once fees are included.