Virginia tax planning for independent workers
Virginia uses a graduated income-tax structure with four brackets that have stayed the same for many years: 2% on the first $3,000 of taxable income, 3% on the next portion up to $5,000, 5% up to $17,000, and 5.75% on taxable income above $17,000. Because the top bracket starts at a relatively low $17,000, most self-employed Virginians will have at least some income taxed at the top 5.75% rate.
Virginia's standard deduction was increased by the state legislature in stages: $8,500 for single filers and $17,000 for married-joint filers for the 2024 tax year, then $8,750 and $17,500 for 2025 and 2026 under current law. This tool uses the $8,750 single and $17,500 married-joint figures that apply through the 2026 tax year. The federal portion of the estimate is unchanged from the rest of this tool: it applies the existing federal income-tax bracket function and the existing self-employment-tax function to net profit.
Virginia's standard deduction is scheduled to rise again for 2027 and 2028 under the same legislation, so a Virginia freelancer projecting several years ahead should expect the state deduction to keep increasing rather than staying fixed. In the meantime, quarterly estimated payments to Virginia Tax follow a schedule similar to the federal due dates.
Use the Virginia preselected comparison calculator to see the combined result, then visit the Quarterly Tax Calculator for federal payment planning. The main state comparison lets you compare Virginia with the other states in this tool at the same income.
Credits, itemized deductions, and local Virginia taxes are not modeled here. Consult a tax professional before relying on this simplified estimate for a filing, relocation, or business-structure decision.