Enter your business income and expenses to see the income tax and ACC levies on your self-employed profit, how much to set aside, and whether provisional tax applies.
Before expenses, for the year
What you can deduct
Sets the ACC work levy
A salary or other taxable income
Set aside for tax
$12,975
20% of your $65,000 profit · about $1,081 a month
What this means
No one takes tax from your income as you go, so move 20% of what you earn into a separate account as it comes in. Each extra $100 of profit costs about $32 in tax and charges.
If your income tax is more than $5,000, you pay provisional tax during the year, usually on 28 August, 15 January and 7 May. ACC sends its own invoice for the levies after the tax year.
Business expenses, including a share of your home and car if you use them for work, lower your profit and this bill.
| Profit | $65,000 |
| Income tax | −$11,721 |
| ACC earners’ levy | −$1,138 |
| ACC work levy | −$65 |
| Working Safer levy | −$52 |
| You keep | $52,025 |
Last updated
Income tax at the same rates as everyone else on your profit, from 10.5% to 39%, plus ACC levies on your earnings: the earners' levy, a work levy that depends on your industry, and the Working Safer levy. Many people set aside 20% to 30% of their profit.
The earners' levy (1.75% in 2026/27, up to a maximum), a work levy set by your industry's risk (about 10 cents per $100 for office and professional work, and 69 cents on average across all industries), and the Working Safer levy of 8 cents per $100. ACC invoices you after the tax year.
If your residual income tax was more than $5,000 last year, you pay provisional tax this year, usually in three instalments on 28 August, 15 January and 7 May for a 31 March balance date.
Once your turnover is more than $60,000 in 12 months, or you expect it to be. Then you add 15% GST to your prices and file GST returns.