Tax Comparison
v1
September 30, 2026
Wage vs Self-Employment Income Tax Comparison
Compare the income tax, withholding and after-tax income of the same annual income earned as wages or as self-employment income.
Things to keep in mind:
Social security premiums, stamp duty, VAT and employer costs are excluded. • Special exemptions and deductions are not considered; using the same amount for both is a simplification.Calculator
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Result
Enter the values and press Calculate to see the result here.
About this tool
This tool compares income tax only. Wages are taxed at the wage tariff (an annual exemption can be entered); self-employment profit (income minus expenses) at the non-wage tariff, with withholding credited against the annual tax. Social security, stamp duty and VAT are excluded.
How to use
- Enter annual pre-tax income.
- Enter any annual wage tax exemption.
- Enter self-employment expenses and whether payments are subject to withholding, then press Calculate.
Notes
For a single employer, withholding during the year is assumed to equal the annual tariff tax. A negative self-employment balance means over-withheld tax to be offset or refunded.