Use this 1099 vs W2 tax calculator to compare real take-home pay in 2026. The headline difference: a W-2 employee pays only 7.65% FICA (the employer covers the other half), while a 1099 contractor pays the full 15.3% self-employment tax. Enter the same gross pay for both and your business expenses to see which truly nets more — and how much extra a contractor must charge to break even.
The defining gap is who pays Social Security and Medicare. As a W-2 employee, you pay 7.65% and your employer pays a matching 7.65%. As a 1099 contractor, you pay both halves — the full 15.3% self-employment tax. On $90,000 of pay, that extra employer-side 7.65% is roughly $6,400 the contractor must absorb.
| Tax | W-2 employee | 1099 contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 6.2% (employer pays 6.2%) | 12.4% (you pay both) |
| Medicare | 1.45% (employer pays 1.45%) | 2.9% (you pay both) |
| Total payroll/SE tax | 7.65% | 15.3% (on 92.35% of net) |
| Deduct half of it? | No | Yes (above-the-line) |
| Business expense deductions | Limited | Broad (Schedule C) |
| Item | W-2 employee | 1099 contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $90,000 | $90,000 |
| Business expenses | — | -$6,000 |
| FICA / SE tax | -$6,885 | -$11,872 |
| Federal income tax | ~-$10,900 | ~-$9,200 |
| Approx. take-home | ~$72,215 | ~$62,928 |
At identical gross pay, the W-2 employee usually nets more because of the employer-paid FICA. The contractor closes part of the gap through expense deductions and the half-SE-tax deduction.
To match a W-2 package, a contractor typically needs to bill 25-40% more than the equivalent salary. That premium covers:
Rule of thumb: a $90,000 W-2 role is roughly a $115,000-$125,000 1099 contract to reach comparable net plus benefits.
Contractors gain ground through deductions a W-2 employee cannot easily claim: home office, mileage, equipment, professional development, the self-employed health insurance deduction, and large pre-tax retirement contributions via a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k). High earners can also elect S-corp status, paying SE/FICA only on a reasonable salary and taking the rest as distributions free of SE tax.
Taxes are only half the story. W-2 employment bundles health insurance, retirement match, paid leave, workers' comp, and unemployment eligibility. 1099 work trades that security for flexibility, multiple clients, and deduction power. Factor the dollar value of benefits — often 20-30% of salary — into any comparison.
You cannot simply choose 1099 to save the employer FICA — the IRS and Department of Labor apply control and economic reality tests. Misclassifying a true employee as a contractor carries penalties. See our 1099 vs W-2 worker classification guide for the rules.
A W-2 employee splits the 15.3% FICA tax 50/50 with their employer, paying only 7.65%. A 1099 contractor pays the full 15.3% self-employment tax themselves. That extra 7.65% is the single biggest reason 1099 take-home is lower at the same headline pay — though contractors can deduct half the SE tax and more business expenses.
A common rule is to add 25-40% to an equivalent W-2 salary. The contractor must cover the extra 7.65% employer FICA, self-funded health insurance, no paid time off, no employer 401(k) match, and business expenses. The calculator shows the 1099 rate needed to match a given W-2 take-home.
On the same gross pay, yes — mainly the extra 7.65% employer-side FICA. However, 1099 workers can deduct more business expenses and half their SE tax, which narrows the gap. The net difference depends on expenses and retirement contributions.
It depends. W-2 offers benefits, employer FICA, unemployment insurance, and simpler taxes. 1099 offers higher gross pay potential, more deductions, and flexibility, but you self-fund benefits and pay full SE tax. Run both through the calculator with realistic expenses.
Yes — by deducting all business expenses, contributing to a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k), deducting health insurance premiums, and (at higher income) electing S-corp status to take part of the income as distributions exempt from SE tax.
The income-tax brackets are identical. The difference is the self-employment tax (1099) vs. split FICA (W-2), plus the deductions each can claim. Income tax on equal taxable income is the same either way.
No. W-2 employees pay FICA (7.65%) via payroll withholding, and the employer pays the matching 7.65%. Self-employment tax only applies to self-employed/1099 income.
To compare, reduce the 1099 rate by roughly the extra 7.65% SE tax plus the value of benefits you would gain as a W-2 employee. The calculator estimates the equivalent figures so you can negotiate.