How much should I set aside from each client payment for self-employment and income taxes?

A practical rule for many freelancers is to move 25% to 30% of every payment into a separate tax savings account the moment it lands, before you feel like it is spendable. That covers roughly 15.3% self-employment tax (before the half deduction) plus federal income tax, and often state tax on top. High earners in states with income tax may need 35% or more, while very low earners might need less. The cleanest approach is percentage-based, not a fixed dollar amount, so the set-aside scales with lumpy income. Refine the percentage after your first full year once you see your real effective rate. Use wealthserene.com/tools/self-employed-hub to dial in a number based on your projected profit.