Set aside each quarter
$449
A quarter of the federal total. Your state may add to it.
Amazon Flex taxes
Amazon Flex tax calculator for 2026
Amazon Flex doesn't reimburse your miles, parking, or tolls, so deducting them is how you get that money back. Enter your earnings, miles, and costs to estimate what you'll owe.
Interactive estimator
Amazon Flex Tax Calculator
Program details come from the Amazon Flex FAQ. Tax rules and rates come from the IRS.
Net profit: $12,705, after a $10,395 mileage deduction. Total federal tax: $1,795, about 14% of profit.
Self-employment tax
$1,795
Social Security and Medicare. It's the same for any filing status.
Federal income tax
$0
For a single filer with no other income, after the standard deduction.
Before you rely on it
This is a federal estimate for a single filer with no other income. A spouse's income, a W-2 job, or credits would change it.
State income tax isn't included. See our state tax guides, or add a few percentage points to be safe.
It's a planning estimate, not tax advice, and it doesn't prepare or file a return.
Your costs are yours to track
The Amazon Flex FAQ says that as an independent contractor you're responsible for your own expenses, including mileage, parking, and tolls. Amazon doesn't pay those back, but you can generally deduct the business costs on Schedule C.
The IRS minimum for reporting on Form 1099-NEC rises to $2,000 for payments made in 2026, so you may not get a form next January for income that would have triggered one before. You still have to report all of it.
Count the miles you actually drive
Amazon shows the route and estimated mileage when you take an instant offer, but what you can deduct is what you actually drive for business. The IRS business standard mileage rates are 72.5 cents per mile for January 1–June 30, 2026, and 76 cents per mile for July 1–December 31, 2026.
IRS Publication 463 says you can't deduct amounts you approximate or estimate, so log the date, destination, purpose, and miles for each block. Whether the drive from home to a delivery station counts depends on your facts. If it's a lot of miles, ask a tax professional.
Common Amazon Flex write-offs
A cost generally has to be ordinary and necessary for the work.
| Cost | How it's usually handled |
|---|---|
| Delivery miles | Multiply by the IRS rate, or use actual car costs instead |
| Parking and tolls on routes | Deductible on top of the standard rate |
| Phone bill | The business share only, since the app runs on your phone |
| Work clothes | Only if they're required for the work and not suitable for everyday wear |
| Traffic tickets | Not deductible |
A worked example
Here's one example year for a Flex driver, using the same math as the calculator above.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Earnings from the app | $28,000 |
| Mileage deduction (8,500 miles, then 8,500 miles) | -$12,623 |
| Other business expenses | -$1,100 |
| Net profit on Schedule C | $14,278 |
| Self-employment tax | $2,017 |
| Federal income tax | $0 |
| Total federal tax | $2,017 |
| About each quarter | $504 |
This assumes a single filer with no other income, the standard deduction, and the qualified business income deduction. State income tax isn't included.
When the 2026 payments are due
No app withholds tax from your payouts, so if you expect to owe enough you pay the IRS four times a year. The periods aren't equal.
| Income earned | Payment due |
|---|---|
| January 1 to March 31 | April 15, 2026 |
| April 1 to May 31 | June 15, 2026 |
| June 1 to August 31 | September 15, 2026 |
| September 1 to December 31 | January 15, 2027 |
You can skip the January 15, 2027 payment if you file your 2026 return by January 31, 2027 and pay the rest of what you owe with it.
What this tool uses
Mileage is figured at the 2026 IRS rates for each half of the year.
Self-employment tax is 15.3% of net earnings, with the 12.4% Social Security part stopping at the 2026 wage base.
Income tax uses 2026 single-filer brackets, the standard deduction, and the qualified business income deduction.
Best for
Flex drivers working blocks part-time or full-time.
Drivers who want to see how much of their block pay goes to the car.
Anyone starting a mileage log partway through the year.
How to use the estimate
Enter what the app pays
Use what you expect to earn for the full year, including tips.
Add miles and costs
Enter business miles for each half of the year and any other business costs you can document.
Set money aside
Treat the quarterly figure as a planning number, and check it again when your earnings change.
Why Cadus helps after the calculator
Estimates are useful, but records win tax season
The estimate is only as good as the numbers you put in. Cadus tracks mileage and keeps app income, receipts, and expenses together through the year, with a Free plan to start.
Download CadusRelated Cadus services
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Quarterly and yearly tax planning
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