West Virginia 1099 vs W-2 Calculator
Enter your annual gross income to see how much you actually take home as a W-2 employee vs a 1099 contractor in West Virginia.
$
Tax year
$0 $500k
Single filer · West Virginia · 2025/26 tax years · No dependents
W-2 Employee
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per year · —/mo
—% kept —% taxes
- FICA (7.65%)
- —
- Federal tax
- —
- State tax
- —
- Eff. rate
- —
1099 Contractor
—
per year · —/mo
—% kept —% taxes
- SE tax (15.3%)
- —
- Federal tax
- —
- State tax
- —
- Eff. rate
- —
Break-even rate
—
—
Why W-2 and 1099 take-home pay differ in West Virginia
W-2 Employee
- → You pay 7.65% FICA (your employer pays another 7.65%)
- → Employer withholds taxes automatically
- → Benefits (health, 401k) often provided by employer
- → Unemployment insurance and workers' comp included
1099 Contractor
- → You pay 15.3% self-employment tax (both halves)
- → Half of SE tax is deductible, reducing your income tax
- → Can deduct legitimate business expenses
- → Must pay quarterly estimated taxes
West Virginia uses a progressive income tax — higher income is taxed at higher rates. Because 1099 contractors can deduct half their self-employment tax before calculating state taxes, the actual state tax burden differs slightly from W-2 workers at the same gross income.
Estimates assume a single filer with no dependents, no additional deductions, and no business expenses. Local and city taxes are not included. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.