Self-Employed Take-Home Calculator NZ

This calculator shows sole traders and other self-employed New Zealanders what they actually keep after tax and ACC, once business profit rather than turnover is taken into account. Unlike wage and salary earners, the self-employed do not have PAYE deducted automatically, so it is easy to spend money that is really owed to Inland Revenue and ACC. You enter your annual business income, your annual business expenses, and your ACC levy rate per $100 of liable earnings, which depends on your occupation classification. The calculator works out your taxable profit, which is income less expenses, applies the current income tax brackets to that profit, adds your ACC levies, and returns your true annual take-home pay. It also breaks out the taxable profit, income tax and ACC levies separately, and shows the percentage of each payment to set aside to cover both bills when they fall due, whether through provisional tax instalments or your year-end return. Use it whenever your income or expenses change, or before quoting a new job, so you know what portion of the money coming in is actually yours to spend. The figures are based on the current income tax brackets and do not include GST or KiwiSaver contributions, and your real ACC rate is set by ACC based on your occupation classification, so treat the result as an indicative estimate rather than tax advice.

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$
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$59,380
your annual take-home after tax and ACC
Taxable profit$75,000
Income tax$14,721
ACC levies$900
Set aside21%

Based on the 2025/2026 income tax brackets. Your ACC rate per $100 depends on your occupation classification and is set by ACC. This does not include GST or KiwiSaver. Rates change, so check current figures. Estimate only, not tax advice.

How it works

Your taxable profit is your income less your business expenses. The calculator applies the income tax brackets to that profit, adds ACC levies based on your rate, and subtracts both to show your take-home. It also shows the share of profit going to tax and ACC, which is the proportion to set aside from each payment so the bills are covered when they fall due.

Worked example

On $90,000 income with $15,000 of expenses, taxable profit is $75,000. Income tax is about $14,720 and ACC at $1.20 per $100 is about $900, leaving a take-home near $59,400. Setting aside roughly 21% of profit covers the tax and ACC.

Related calculators

Data sources: the rates and thresholds on this page are maintained against Inland Revenue. Figures are checked twice monthly.

Frequently asked questions

How much tax do the self-employed pay in New Zealand?

You pay income tax on your profit, which is income less expenses, across the same brackets as everyone else, plus ACC levies. There is no PAYE, so you set money aside yourself and pay through provisional tax and the year-end return.

What is the difference between turnover and take-home?

Turnover is your total income. Take-home is what is left after business expenses, income tax and ACC. The gap surprises many new business owners, which is why setting tax aside from each payment matters.

Do the self-employed pay ACC?

Yes, self-employed people pay ACC levies based on their liable earnings and their occupation classification, billed separately from income tax.