Freelancers in Vermont: taxes and retirement for 2026
For freelance designers, developers, writers and other 1099 professionals in Vermont. Vermont has a graduated state income tax for 2026: 3.35% to 8.75%. Here are the 2026 rules, a worked example and the official sources.
Vermont rules for freelancers
- State income tax (2026)
- Vermont has a graduated state income tax for 2026: 3.35% to 8.75%. Rates are percentages: 3.35%, 6.6%, 7.6% and 8.75% (32 V.S.A. 5822, https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/32/151/05822). Brackets are adjusted for inflation each year, and Vermont had not published 2026 rate schedules as of October 7, 2026. For 2025, the 8.75% rate started at $249,700 of taxable income for single filers. If AGI exceeds $150,000, tax is the greater of the rate-schedule amount or 3% of AGI (less U.S. obligation interest).
- State estimated tax
- Pay through withholding or estimates at least the lesser of 100% of last year's Vermont tax or 90% of this year's, or you face penalties and interest if you owe more than $500 when you file. Same dates as federal: April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. Form IN-114.
- Vermont business entity minimum tax
- Partnerships, multi-member LLCs and S corporations active in Vermont file Form BI-471 and pay a $250 minimum annual entity tax. A single-member LLC that is disregarded federally and reports on Schedule C does not file BI-471. A one-owner business that elects S corporation status would owe the $250.
- ABC test for unemployment insurance (21 V.S.A. 1301(6)(B))
- Paid work is presumed to be employment unless the business proves three things: the worker is free from control, the work is outside the business's usual course or places of business, and the worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade or business.
- State retirement program
- VT Saves is live. It is built around W-2 employers and does not cover 1099 contractors through the employer mandate.
Federal rules for 2026
Self-employment tax
On top of income tax, self-employed people pay 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit: 12.4% Social Security up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, plus 2.9% Medicare with no cap. Half of it is deductible.
All income counts, form or no form
Clients and marketplaces send 1099-NEC or 1099-K forms only above IRS reporting thresholds, but every dollar of freelance income is taxable whether or not a form arrives.
Home office and tools
If you use part of your home regularly and only for work, the simplified home-office deduction is $5 per square foot up to 300 square feet. Software, equipment and a business share of your phone and internet are deductible too.
Quarterly estimated taxes
No one withholds tax from self-employment income, so you generally pay estimates four times a year if you expect to owe $1,000 or more. For 2026 income the federal dates are April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. Paying 100% of last year's tax (110% if your AGI was over $150,000) in four equal installments avoids the underpayment penalty.
A worked example
| Self-employment tax | $12,010 |
|---|---|
| Self-employment tax per quarter | $3,003 |
| Solo 401(k) maximum | $40,299 |
| SEP IRA maximum | $15,799 |
Federal figures only. Income tax comes on top; the quarterly tax calculator estimates both. Computed from 2026 IRS limits (Notice 2025-67, Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and the SSA wage base.
Free tools
Guides by job and platform
Questions
Do freelancers in Vermont pay state income tax?
Vermont has a graduated state income tax for 2026: 3.35% to 8.75%. Rates are percentages: 3.35%, 6.6%, 7.6% and 8.75% (32 V.S.A. 5822, https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/32/151/05822). Brackets are adjusted for inflation each year, and Vermont had not published 2026 rate schedules as of October 7, 2026. For 2025, the 8.75% rate started at $249,700 of taxable income for single filers. If AGI exceeds $150,000, tax is the greater of the rate-schedule amount or 3% of AGI (less U.S. obligation interest).
When are Vermont estimated tax payments due for 2026?
Pay through withholding or estimates at least the lesser of 100% of last year's Vermont tax or 90% of this year's, or you face penalties and interest if you owe more than $500 when you file. Same dates as federal: April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. The state form is IN-114.
Are there other Vermont taxes for self-employed freelancers?
Vermont business entity minimum tax: Partnerships, multi-member LLCs and S corporations active in Vermont file Form BI-471 and pay a $250 minimum annual entity tax. A single-member LLC that is disregarded federally and reports on Schedule C does not file BI-471. A one-owner business that elects S corporation status would owe the $250.
What Vermont laws affect independent contractors and gig workers?
ABC test for unemployment insurance (21 V.S.A. 1301(6)(B)): Paid work is presumed to be employment unless the business proves three things: the worker is free from control, the work is outside the business's usual course or places of business, and the worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade or business.
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Sources
- tax.vermont.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/TaxRateSched-2025.pdf
- tax.vermont.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/IN-114-2026.pdf
- labor.vermont.gov/sites/labor/files/documents/Min%20Wage%20Poster%202026.pdf
- tax.vermont.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/BI-471-Instr-2025.pdf
- legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/21/017/01301
State and local facts researched from official sources and independently re-checked; last verified October 2026, next scheduled review 2027-01-02. Educational information for 2026, not tax, legal or investment advice. Rules change; check the official sources listed and a tax professional for your situation. Gigaverse AI, Inc. is a financial technology company, not a bank, and not itself a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer.