How much tax do athletes pay on NIL money in Florida?

On $25,000 of NIL income in 2026, a single athlete in Florida with no other income owes about $4,103 in total and keeps $20,897. On $100,000 the total is about $22,365. That covers self-employment, federal income and no state tax.

Does Florida tax NIL income?

No. Florida has no state income tax, so NIL income owes only federal income tax and self-employment tax, plus any tax another state charges on appearances made there.

Do I have to pay estimated taxes on NIL income in Florida?

Usually. Federal estimates are due once you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year (unless you owed nothing the year before). Florida has no state income tax, so there are no state estimates to make.

Is NIL income taxed like a paycheck?

No. NIL is usually paid on a 1099 with nothing withheld, so you pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare as self-employment tax (15.3%) and are responsible for paying your income tax during the year.

— NIL taxes · Florida · 2026

Florida NIL tax calculator

Florida has no state income tax on NIL money, on top of federal income tax and self-employment tax, and nothing is withheld from a 1099. Enter your earnings to see what you keep in 2026.

Figures last verified Oct 25, 2026 against the IRS and Florida Department of Revenue

How Florida taxes NIL income

Florida's constitution bars a personal income tax and the Department of Revenue requires no individual return, so NIL money owes only federal income tax and self-employment tax. On $25,000 of NIL income a single athlete in Florida keeps about $20,897, or 83.6%.

Federal tax still applies in full: self-employment tax of 15.3% on 92.35% of your net earnings (the Social Security part stops at $184,500 in 2026) and income tax on what's left after the $16,100 standard deduction, half of the self-employment tax and the qualified business income deduction.

What athletes keep in Florida: three examples

At $5,000, $25,000 and $100,000 of NIL income, a single athlete in Florida keeps 85.9%, 83.6% and 77.6%. Self-employment tax is the biggest bill at the low end; income tax grows with earnings.

Florida, 2026, single filer, NIL as the only income
NIL income	Self-employment tax	Federal income tax	Florida tax	Take-home	You keep
$5,000	$706	$0	$0	$4,294	85.9%
$25,000	$3,532	$571	$0	$20,897	83.6%
$100,000	$14,130	$8,235	$0	$77,635	77.6%

These assume no other income, no business expenses and the 2026 federal standard deduction. Business expenses (travel to a shoot, an agent's fee, equipment you need for the deal) lower every line. Run your own numbers above.

Florida rules that change the bill

A single-member LLC taxed the default way owes no Florida corporate income tax. Only an entity taxed as a corporation does, at 5.5%.

An appearance or event in a state that has an income tax can be taxed by that state as nonresident income, even if you live in Florida.

Quarterly estimated tax in Florida

Nothing is withheld from NIL pay, so the IRS expects estimated payments once you'll owe $1,000 or more for the year: April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027. Florida has no state income tax, so there are no state estimates to make.

A first-year athlete who owed no federal tax the year before doesn't have to make federal estimates. Setting aside a share of every payment as it arrives is the simplest way to cover the bill either way; the NIL taxes guide explains how.

Florida NIL rules

Taxes are one half of a deal; the other is whether the deal is allowed. Florida's NIL rules cover the state law, what high-school athletes can do, and whether collectives can operate there.

Frequently asked questions

How much tax do athletes pay on NIL money in Florida?: On $25,000 of NIL income in 2026, a single athlete in Florida with no other income owes about $4,103 in total and keeps $20,897. On $100,000 the total is about $22,365. That covers self-employment, federal income and no state tax.
Does Florida tax NIL income?: No. Florida has no state income tax, so NIL income owes only federal income tax and self-employment tax, plus any tax another state charges on appearances made there.
Do I have to pay estimated taxes on NIL income in Florida?: Usually. Federal estimates are due once you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year (unless you owed nothing the year before). Florida has no state income tax, so there are no state estimates to make.
Is NIL income taxed like a paycheck?: No. NIL is usually paid on a 1099 with nothing withheld, so you pay both halves of Social Security and Medicare as self-employment tax (15.3%) and are responsible for paying your income tax during the year.

Sources

Florida Constitution, art. VII, § 5 (no personal income tax) — Florida Senate
Florida Department of Revenue: taxes and fees — Florida Department of Revenue
Rev. Proc. 2025-32: 2026 tax brackets, standard deduction and QBI thresholds — IRS
Form 1040-ES (2026): Social Security wage base and estimated tax dates — IRS
Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes) — IRS