Launching today
WageKeep — Real Income Calculators
Real take-home math for freelancers and job offers
5 followers
Real take-home math for freelancers and job offers
5 followers
WageKeep is a pair of free calculators that answer the question every quick mental estimate gets wrong: what do I actually take home? Compare a 1099 contract against a W-2 salary using real 2026 federal tax brackets, or find the exact hourly rate you need to charge to hit your income goal with self-employment tax, health insurance, and the QBI deduction included, not skipped.
Hello! I made this after noticing every "take-home pay calculator" I could find either ignored self-employment tax completely or made you do the bracket math yourself. Both tools here run the real 2026 numbers with progressive federal brackets, FICA/SE tax, the QBI deduction, so the number you see is the number you'd actually get. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type gets sent anywhere or stored. Would love feedback, especially from freelancers/contractors on whether the rate calculator's assumptions (weeks billed, overhead) match your real experience.