💼 Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Freelancers, contractors, and gig workers pay both halves of CPP — 11.9% instead of 5.95%, or 12.6% for QPP in Quebec. See what you actually owe, how much to set aside, and whether you need to register for GST/HST.
Your year
Everything you invoiced, before expenses
Software, equipment, home office, mileage, professional fees
Set aside 21% of every invoice
On $80,000 of revenue you owe about $17,089 — $9,413 in income tax, $7,676 in CPP. Move that percentage into a separate account the day each payment lands and you will never be caught short in April.
Net business income
$68,000
Income tax
$9,413
CPP (both halves)
$7,676
What you keep
$50,911
Where the money goes
GST/HST registration
You likely need to register. Revenue from taxable sales is above the $30,000 small-supplier threshold.
Timing depends on how you crossed it. Over $30,000 in a single calendar quarter: you must charge GST/HST on the sale that took you over and register within 29 days. Over it across four consecutive quarters: you remain a small supplier until the end of the month after the quarter in which you crossed it, then register within 29 days. Once registered you can recover the GST/HST you pay on business purchases.
Commercial ride-share and taxi drivers must register from their first fare — the threshold does not apply.
Quarterly instalments
Likely required. Your net tax owing is above $3,000, the threshold the CRA uses.
Roughly $4,272 per quarter, due March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15.
Instalments only kick in once you have owed more than the threshold in the current year and in one of the two preceding years. The CRA will send you reminders.
Dates and details
- Filing deadline
- June 15
- Payment deadline
- April 30 — interest starts May 1
- Combined marginal rate
- 29.6%
- RRSP room this earns for next year
- $12,240
- CPP you can deduct from income
- $4,483
Things worth knowing
- The pension plan is the shock, not income tax. You pay both the employee and employer halves — 11.9% on net income between $3,500 and $74,600, plus 8% between $74,600 and $85,000. That is up to $9,292 in 2026. On January 1, 2027, the base CPP rate is cut and the 11.9% becomes 11.5%; this calculator still uses the 2026 rates.
- No EI at all. Self-employed people cannot claim regular EI benefits. You can opt into EI special benefits for parental, sickness, and caregiving leave, but the decision is largely irreversible once you claim.
- The CRA sees your platform income. Digital platforms now report earnings directly. Reporting less than the platform reported is the fastest way to trigger a review.
- Exports are zero-rated. Services billed to a non-resident client are generally charged 0% GST/HST — but that revenue still counts toward the $30,000 registration threshold.
- Track expenses all year. Home office, a share of internet and phone, software, equipment, mileage, and professional fees are all deductible. Reconstructing them in April guarantees you miss some.
Estimates for educational purposes only, using 2026 federal and provincial rates. Models QPP, QPIP, and the 16.5% federal abatement for Quebec, and the Ontario surtax. Applies the pension-plan deduction and the federal pension-plan credit. QPIP tax relief and provincial contribution credits are not modelled. These omissions can overstate income tax. Does not model business-specific credits or the Ontario Health Premium. Consult an accountant for your actual return.