How much should a freelancer pay in quarterly taxes in South Carolina for 2025?

It depends on your profit, but for a single filer with $80,000 of net self-employment profit the estimate is about $11,304 self-employment tax + $5,459 federal income tax + $2,944 South Carolina state income tax = about $19,706 total, or roughly $4,927 per quarter. Use the estimator above for your own figure.

What is the self-employment tax rate for 2025?

The combined federal SE tax rate is 15.3% — 12.4% for Social Security (on net earnings up to the $176,100 2025 wage base) plus 2.9% for Medicare (no cap). A 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies above $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (married filing jointly). You can deduct half of the SE tax against your income tax.

When are 2025 estimated tax payments due?

Federal Form 1040-ES estimated payments for the 2025 tax year are due April 15, 2025, June 16, 2025, September 15, 2025, January 15, 2026. (June 15, 2025 fell on a Sunday, so the Q2 deadline moved to June 16.) Pay online with IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS.

What is the safe-harbor rule?

You avoid an IRS underpayment penalty by paying the smaller of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax — 110% of last year's tax if your prior-year AGI was over $150,000 ($75,000 if married filing separately). There is also no penalty if your total tax after withholding is under $1,000.

Does South Carolina charge state income tax on freelance income?

Yes. South Carolina taxes self-employment profit at up to a 6.2% top marginal rate, and most states require their own quarterly estimated payments alongside the federal 1040-ES ones. This estimator's state line applies the 6.2% rate to federal taxable income as a labelled estimate; verify with the South Carolina state tax agency.

Can I claim the QBI deduction as a freelancer?

Possibly. The Qualified Business Income (QBI / §199A) deduction can be up to 20% of your business profit and reduces your income tax (not your self-employment tax). For 2025 the full 20% is available without wage/property limits when taxable income before the deduction is at or below $197,300 (single) / $394,600 (married filing jointly). This estimator applies it automatically when you qualify.

Is my data sent anywhere when I use this estimator?

No. All calculations run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No amounts, inputs, or personal data are ever transmitted to any server.

South Carolina 1099 / Freelancer Quarterly Tax Estimator 2025 — Estimated Payments

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South Carolina 1099 / Freelancer Quarterly Tax Estimator 2025

If you earn 1099 / self-employment income in South Carolina with no tax withheld, the IRS expects you to pay quarterly estimated taxes using Form 1040-ES. This estimator combines everything a freelancer owes for the 2025 tax year into one quarterly number:

Self-employment tax — 15.3% (12.4% Social Security to the $176,100 wage base + 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of your net profit (Schedule SE).
Half-SE deduction — you deduct one-half of the SE tax above the line.
Standard deduction (2025) — $15,000 single / $30,000 married filing jointly / $22,500 head of household.
QBI deduction — up to 20% of business profit (§199A), applied automatically when you qualify.
Federal income tax — the 2025 marginal brackets on your taxable income.
South Carolina state income tax — applied at South Carolina’s 6.2% top marginal rate as a labelled estimate.

The total is divided into four equal 1040-ES payments, due April 15, 2025, June 16, 2025, September 15, 2025, January 15, 2026.

Worked example (South Carolina, single, $80,000 net profit, 2025)

Self-employment tax $11,303.64 + federal income tax $5,458.93 + South Carolina state income tax $2,943.67 (6.2% estimate) = $19,706.24 total estimated tax → about $4,927 per quarter. South Carolina taxes self-employment profit at up to a 6.2% top marginal rate; the state estimated leg here applies the 6.2% rate to federal taxable income as a labelled estimate.

Safe-harbor rule (avoid the penalty)

Pay the smaller of 90% of this year’s tax or 100% of last year’s tax (110% if your prior-year AGI was over $150,000) and the IRS won’t charge an underpayment penalty. There’s also no penalty if your total tax after withholding is under $1,000. Enter last year’s tax above to see your safe-harbor quarterly amount.

Sources: SE tax & Schedule SE — IRS, Self-Employment Tax (2025); $176,100 wage base — SSA Contribution and Benefit Base (2025); 2025 brackets & standard deduction — IRS Rev. Proc. 2024-40 (via Tax Foundation); QBI — IRS 2025 Instructions for Form 8995; due dates & safe harbor — IRS Form 1040-ES / Underpayment of Estimated Tax Penalty; South Carolina rate — Tax Foundation, ‘2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets’. Estimate only, not tax advice; the state line is a labelled top-of-bracket / flat estimate that excludes state-specific deductions, credits and local taxes. Verify with IRS Form 1040-ES and your state tax agency. As of the 2025 tax year.