Self employment tax · Illinois · 2026
Illinois self employment
tax calculator (2026).
One flat 4.95% on every dollar of taxable income, no local income taxes, and a small personal exemption. Enter your net business income for the full estimate.
Self employment tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit.
Estimate only: not tax, legal, or financial advice, and provided with no warranty of accuracy. Figures are approximations of 2026 federal + state self employment tax and exclude credits, dependents, other deductions, retirement contributions, and QBI phaseouts above $191,950 single / $383,900 married, among other factors. Verify with a licensed tax professional before relying on these numbers.
How Illinois taxes you
One flat 4.95%, no local add ons.
State brackets verified 2026-07-29 against the Tax Foundation’s 2026 tables. Federal self employment tax is 15.3% of 92.35% of net income everywhere; only the state portion changes by location.
Worked example
$85,000 net income, single filer.
Estimate only: it excludes credits, dependents, retirement contributions, and QBI phaseouts. Talk to a CPA before you send the IRS a check this size. Plan your quarterly payments →
Illinois, specifically
What makes Illinois different.
Illinois keeps it simple: one flat 4.95% on every dollar of taxable income, and the state constitution effectively locks the flat structure in place after voters rejected a graduated rate amendment in 2020. Unlike New York, no Illinois city may levy its own income tax, so Chicago vendors owe the state rate and nothing more.
- Flat 4.95% for 2026 on all taxable income; the rate does not phase or graduate.
- A flat tax is locked in by the state constitution; the 2020 graduated rate amendment failed, so 4.95% is the whole story.
- No local income taxes: Chicago, unlike New York City, cannot and does not add one.
- Illinois allows a small personal exemption ($2,925 for 2026) before the flat rate applies.
Worked example: $125,000 net income, single filer.
Same caveat as the $85,000 example: credits, dependents, retirement contributions, and QBI phaseouts move the real number. Both examples are computed from the verified 2026 brackets, not figures written by hand.
Illinois tax FAQ
Common questions.
- Does Illinois tax self employment income in 2026? Yes. Illinois taxes income at a flat 4.95% in 2026, on top of federal self employment tax (15.3%) and federal income tax. Flat 4.95% for 2026 on all taxable income; the rate does not phase or graduate.
- How much should I set aside for taxes on $85,000 of net income in Illinois? On $85,000 of net self employment income (single filer), the estimate is about $12,010 self employment tax, $5,404 federal income tax, and $3,910 Illinois income tax: roughly $21,324 total, or about $5,331 per quarter (~25.09% effective). Adjust for your deductions and credits.
- Does Chicago have a city income tax like New York City? No. Illinois does not permit local income taxes, so no city in the state, Chicago included, can add one. Your Illinois estimate is the flat 4.95% on state taxable income, period.
- Does Illinois have estimated payments? Yes, and they follow the federal quarterly dates (April, June, September, January), at the flat 4.95%.
Keep comparing
More state calculators.
- Idaho: SE tax, federal, and the Idaho state line with the quarterly estimate.
- Indiana: SE tax, federal, and the Indiana state line with the quarterly estimate.
- New York: SE tax, federal, and the New York state line with the quarterly estimate.
- California: SE tax, federal, and the California state line with the quarterly estimate.
- Texas: SE tax, federal, and the Texas state line with the quarterly estimate.
- Florida: SE tax, federal, and the Florida state line with the quarterly estimate.
- Georgia: SE tax, federal, and the Georgia state line with the quarterly estimate.
- South Carolina: SE tax, federal, and the South Carolina state line with the quarterly estimate.
- Kansas: SE tax, federal, and the Kansas state line with the quarterly estimate.
Book the work. Then handle the tax.
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