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Run the numbers before you pay
Two tools built on published figures, with a source and a date next to every number: IRS rates for the tax set-aside, vendors' own price pages for the cost comparison. Each shows its working and ends with a tie-breaker: the dollar figure where paying a professional beats doing it yourself, and below which it doesn't.
Estimates, not tax or legal advice. Both pages link to 1-800Accountant, which may pay us a commission. The figures are the same whether you click or not.
Side hustle tax calculator: how much to set aside in 2026
Estimate 2026 self-employment tax and federal income tax on side income, the share of each payment to set aside, and your quarterly payments. IRS-sourced.
Open the toolWhat $2,508 up front buys: 1-800Accountant vs a CPA vs tax software
1-800Accountant's annual plans against TurboTax, TaxAct and a local preparer, every fee sourced and dated, plus the numbers where paying a pro beats DIY.
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