Enter your gig income and day-job bracket — get the percentage to move to savings every payout, and what quarterly payments look like.
Set aside from every payout
—
| Per month, into the tax stash | — |
| SE tax portion (15.3% on ~92.35% of net) | — |
| Income tax portion | — |
| Rough quarterly payment | — |
Planning math, not tax advice — the SE-tax deduction and QBI can trim it a bit at filing. Over-saving beats a surprise bill; the stash pays you back in April.
The set-aside math
net = income − expenses
SE tax ≈ net × 92.35% × 15.3% · income tax ≈ net × marginal rate
The 92.35% quirk: SE tax applies to net earnings after a built-in 7.65% employer-equivalent adjustment. The bigger idea is simpler — gig platforms withhold nothing, so you're your own payroll department, and the set-aside percentage is your withholding.
A worked example
$1,200/month of gig income with $200 of expenses: $1,000 net. SE tax ~$141, income tax at 22% ~$220 — about $361/month, a 30% set-aside of the net. Move it to a separate savings account the day each payout lands and quarterly payments become transfers instead of emergencies (~$1,080 per quarter here).
The W-2 withholding hack
If you also have a day job, you can skip quarterly payments entirely by adding extra withholding there (a new W-4 line-4c amount ≈ your monthly set-aside). The IRS treats withholding as paid evenly all year — it's the tidiest way to stay penalty-proof. And log your miles: our mileage calculator shows what each trip deducts.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I set aside for taxes from gig income?
A common safe range is 25–35%: self-employment tax runs 15.3% on net earnings, plus your income-tax marginal rate on top. Someone with a day job in the 22% bracket doing gig work on the side should be closer to 30–35% than the 20% people hope for.
Do I pay self-employment tax if I already have a W-2 job?
Yes — SE tax applies to net gig earnings (over $400/year) regardless of your day job. The gig income also stacks on your W-2 income for income tax, so it's taxed at your top marginal rate from the first dollar.
Do I have to make quarterly payments?
If you'll owe $1,000+ when filing, generally yes — quarterly estimated payments (typically due mid-April, June, September, and January) avoid underpayment penalties. W-2 workers with a side gig have an easier hack: raise withholding at the day job instead.
What can I deduct from gig income?
Ordinary business expenses cut the taxable net: mileage at the standard rate (log it!), supplies, platform fees, phone/home-office portions. Every deducted dollar saves both SE tax and income tax — 30%+ combined, which is why the mileage log matters.