🧾 Estimate Your Refund (or Balance Due)
Runs entirely in your browser — no income data is sent or stored. Uses official 2026 figures: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets, $16,100/$32,200 standard deduction, 15.3% SE tax on 92.35% of net profit, $184,500 Social Security wage base, and full progressive state brackets for all 41 taxing states + DC.
Can 1099 freelancers even get a refund?
Yes — but only if you've paid in more than you owe. Refunds are simply the return of your own overpayment: quarterly estimated payments that turned out too high, or W-2 withholding from a day job that also covered your freelance tax. Unlike employees, freelancers with no payments can never get a refund (with narrow exceptions like refundable credits — EITC, Child Tax Credit — which this tool doesn't model).
Deliberately overpaying vs. deliberately underpaying
A big refund means you gave the IRS an interest-free loan all year; a big balance due can trigger underpayment interest. The sweet spot for most freelancers is paying the safe-harbor amount (100% of last year's tax, 110% if AGI over $150,000) and keeping the rest of the money working in a high-yield savings account until April. If this calculator shows a large gap either way, adjust your remaining quarterly payments rather than waiting for filing season.
FAQ
Why do W-2 employees get refunds but freelancers usually owe?
Employers deliberately over-withhold from paychecks, so most employees overpay and get money back. Nothing is withheld from 1099 income, so freelancers owe unless they made estimated payments.
I have both a W-2 job and 1099 side income — how does that work?
Enter both. Your W-2 withholding counts toward your total tax bill, including the tax on your side income. Many side-hustlers avoid quarterly payments entirely by raising their W-2 withholding (Form W-4) instead.
Does this include refundable credits like EITC or the Child Tax Credit?
No — credits vary case by case and this tool excludes them, so if you qualify, your real position is better than shown. A CPA or filing software will apply them.
What if I overpaid my quarterly estimates?
You'll get the excess back as a refund after filing, or you can apply it to next year's first quarterly payment — often the smarter move for ongoing freelancers.
Want the full state-by-state breakdown?
The main 1099 tax calculator shows your complete SE + federal + state breakdown, or jump to the quarterly payment calculator or the full 1099 calculator.
Estimates only — not tax advice. QBI deduction, credits, and retirement deductions are not included, so your real bill may be lower. Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, SSA, Tax Foundation 2026, state DORs. Last updated July 2, 2026. Report an issue.