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LLC Tax Calculator

Self-employment tax plus income tax on your LLC profit, after the deductions that reduce both.

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Results

Estimated total tax,
Self-employment tax,
Income tax (est.),
Deductible half of SE,

These tax numbers are estimates for comparison, not a filing-ready calculation.

What the Numbers Mean

Self-employment tax runs at 15.3% on 92.35% of profit. The calculator then estimates income tax on what remains after three deductions: the deductible half of SE tax, a simplified 20% QBI deduction, and your standard deduction.

Set aside 25 to 30% of profit for combined self-employment and income tax. The exact share depends on your bracket, but that range holds for most single-member LLC owners in the middle brackets.

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What an LLC actually owes

A default LLC's profit lands on your personal return and gets taxed twice. First comes self-employment tax at 15.3% on 92.35% of profit (the 92.35% accounts for the deductible employer-equivalent half). Then ordinary income tax on what remains after deductions. This estimator runs both calculations and applies the three deductions that actually move the number: the deductible half of SE tax, a simplified 20% QBI deduction under IRC Section 199A, and your standard deduction.

This is a planning estimate. State income tax, passive income, and credits all affect the real figure. Use it to size your quarterly payments, then have a tax professional run the actual return.

This estimator covers federal tax only. State-level costs, mainly the one-time filing fee, run from $35 (Montana) to $500 (Massachusetts); see the 2026 filing fee dataset or the cost calculator for your state's number.

Good to know

FAQs

How is LLC profit taxed?

Self-employment tax at 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit, plus ordinary income tax on the remaining profit after deductions, all reported on your personal Form 1040.

What is the QBI deduction?

A deduction of up to 20% of qualified business income for pass-through entity owners, created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Income and business-type limits apply, so confirm eligibility with a tax professional.

Do I pay quarterly?

Usually yes. The IRS expects quarterly estimated payments if you owe more than $1,000 for the year. Missing them can trigger an underpayment penalty.

Is this tax advice?

No. The figures here are estimates for planning purposes only and do not constitute tax advice. Verify with a qualified tax professional.

Does forming an LLC change my federal tax rate?

No. A default LLC pays federal tax exactly like a sole proprietorship. What changes across states is the one-time filing fee to form the LLC, which ranges from $35 to $500.

Priya Raman
About the author
Priya Raman
Contributing Writer, Policy & Regulation, Encore Editorial
Priya covers tax, regulation, and compliance: the rules that decide what you can and cannot do, usually filed in an obscure subsection that most people skip. She reads federal register notices in her spare time and is at peace with that being unusual.