As a self-employed content creator and financial educator, I’ve experienced the ups and downs of working for myself. I can attest that running a small business has several perks — you have a job you love and can enjoy greater flexibility. Plus, you get to grow your venture in step with your vision and values.
On the flip side, you’re on the hook for greater responsibilities.
One of the biggest is self-employment tax. When I first started working for myself over a decade ago, this new financial responsibility was a bit of a head-scratcher. I learned how important it is to understand your tax obligations so you won’t be blindsided when tax season rolls around.
Feeling a little overwhelmed and maybe a tad confused? Let’s walk through everything you need to know about self-employment tax and how to unlock valuable tax savings with deductions.
What Is Self-Employment Tax?
Self-employment tax is a combination of Medicare and Social Security taxes. Also known as FICA, it’s subject to change each year. In 2024, the self-employment tax rate1 is 15.3% — 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.
Here’s the kicker: Standard employment tax is essentially self-employment tax. But when you work for someone, your employer pays half of FICA, and you’re responsible for the other half. Your half is withheld from your paycheck. But when you’re self-employed, you’re responsible for both halves.
For example, when I had a regular 9-to-5 job, I only had to pay half of the FICA tax. But once I switched to a part-time job and started freelancing on the side, things changed. I was still responsible for half of the self-employment tax from my W-2 job, but when it came to my freelance work, I had to cover both halves of the tax myself.
Who Needs to Pay Self-Employment Tax?
If you’re self-employed and your net earnings are $400 or more, you’re likely required to pay this tax. You’re generally considered self-employed if you’re a small business owner or an independent contractor who receives a 1099 form.
For 2024, the first $168,600 of your combined wages, tips, and net earnings are subject to self-employment tax. Any additional earnings aren’t subject to the Social Security portion. However, you still need to pay the Medicare portion.
Some hypothetical examples.
Say you have a full-time job with an employer and receive a W-2 form. You also have a side hustle as a dog walker and sell crafty wares online. You rake in about $5,000 from both gigs in a given year. Because your net earnings are more than $400, you’ll need to pay self-employment tax on your earnings from your side hustles.
Another scenario: You’re self-employed and own a small branding agency. You work for different clients who send you 1099 forms. Since you’re an independent contractor, you’ll need to pay the 15.3% self-employment tax on your earnings.
In my early days of freelancing, I had sundry side gigs: catsitting, test proctoring, and copyediting and copywriting, to name a few. When I earned over $400 in a given year on any of these jobs, I was required to obtain a 1099 form and cover the self-employment tax myself.
How to tell how much you owe
You can calculate exactly how much you owe using Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax)2 or Form 1040. Getting into the weeds, 92.35% of your net earnings is subject to self-employment tax. You can also work with a tax professional who can handle the calculations and help you figure out your tax obligations. I’m not a math guru, so I figured this out using tax software or when working with a tax professional.
How to File Self-Employment Tax
1. Calculate your business’s net profit or loss.
First, figure out if your business has a net profit or a net loss. To do this, subtract your business expenses from your income. If you have a net profit of at least $400, you must file and pay self-employment tax.
Remember, you’ll still need to file an annual income tax return either way.
2. File the self-employment tax form.
File Schedule SE to report your Social Security and Medicare taxes. You can file this form during your annual income tax return (Form 1040) or with your quarterly taxes.
File annually:
You can file Schedule SE at the same time as your Form 1040, usually by April 15 each year. If you need to request a six-month extension, your deadline will be pushed back to October 15.
File quarterly:
You can also file self-employment tax when you file and pay your estimated quarterly taxes. When you make quarterly payments, it can include your self-employment tax and income tax. Because you don’t have an employer to figure out how much you owe, you’ll need to handle this on your own. You can use Form 1040-ES (Estimated Tax for Individuals)3 to help.
Estimated quarterly taxes are generally due at the end of each quarter: April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. When I was a sole proprietor (I now have an LLC with an S-Corp tax election), I made it a point to pay these taxes every three months.
How Deductions Help You Save on Taxes
Self-employment tax can be a benefit. Yes, you read that right. While it initially seems like an oxymoron — you are on the hook for paying taxes — you also can gain valuable tax savings through deductions.
Like we mentioned earlier, 92.35% of your net income is subject to self-employment tax.
But there’s more to it. Your net income is determined by subtracting (or deducting) business-related expenses considered “necessary and ordinary” from your gross income.
So, what does this mean, exactly? Tax deductions lower your taxable income, which equals savings. When you have less taxable income, you owe less taxes.
Remember: The key phrase with deductions is “necessary and ordinary.” So, you can’t deduct purchases of massive exotic animal statues for your business — that is, unless you use them as a prop in your video creation business.
What you can typically deduct.
- Home office
- Income, self-employment tax, and personal property tax
- Travel expenses and meals during business trips
- Car-related expenses if you use a vehicle for your business, including mileage, parking and tolls, maintenance and repairs, insurance, title and registration fees, gas, garage rent, licenses, and lease payments
- Donations to business organizations
- Employee pay
- Supplies and materials
- Utilities
- Insurance (i.e., self-employed health insurance, workers’ compensation, liability insurance)
- Legal and professional fees
- Advertising fees
- Bank fees
- Professional and business license fees
- Education expenses
- Depreciation of property
- Interest on debt
- Bad business debt
Visit the small business and self-employed tax center4 for a full list.
What you usually can’t deduct.
- Personal or living expenses
- Charitable contributions
- Dues relating to airline, business, sporting, social, and athletic clubs
- Entertainment expenses
Visit the small business and self-employed tax center4 for a full list.
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Tips to Maximize Deductions
Follow these tips to make the most of deductions.
Understand which deductions you can take.
Every dollar counts, and knowing the tax deductions you qualify for can help you save money. The list of deductions I mentioned earlier is a good place to start. You can also work with a tax professional.
Keep records of your expenses.
Track your business expenses to help you know exactly what you can deduct — and provide proof, if needed. Follow these best practices:
- Keep your business and personal expenses separate.
- Consider having business bank accounts and credit cards.
- Use accounting software to reconcile invoices and categorize your transactions to stay on top of your books.
- Take photos of receipts for business-related expenses.
- Regularly practice financial housekeeping for your business.To make sure I wasn’t missing any valuable tax deductions, I opened a credit card just for small business purposes, as well as a business checking account. A few years later, I switched to a business credit card. Having both things helped me keep track of my income and expenses, as well what was tax deductible.
I also kept track of everything in my cloud accounting software. While I aimed at reconciling transactions every Friday, the truth was, monthly or quarterly was more my speed. By reconciling my books on a regular basis, I wasn’t in a panic to get caught up at the end of the year. It also gave me a better eye for spotting mistakes, and I had a much lower chance of missing a tax deduction.
Work with a tax professional.
Consider working with a tax professional — think accountant, certified public accountant (CPA), or an enrolled agent (or EA, a federally authorized tax practitioner who can represent taxpayers before the IRS). They can keep you updated on tax deductions and credits for small businesses and make sure you get every deduction you qualify for. If you’re looking for a tax pro, you can start your search using the IRS’s Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers.5
Tax Resources for Self-Employed Individuals
There’s a lot to get your head around when it comes to self-employment tax. For more information, check out these resources:
- IRS’s Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center6
- IRS’s Tax Guide for Small Business7
- IRS’s Self-Employment Tax8
- IRS’s Tax Withholding Estimator9
If you’d like professional assistance with self-employment tax, you can also visit an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site10. These volunteer-run sites can help you make sense of your tax liabilities when you work for yourself or do side hustles. Generally, if you earn $67,000 or less, live with a disability, or have limited English-speaking abilities, you qualify for free assistance at a VITA center.
If you’re in a position to hire a tax pro, look for a CPA or an EA who has experience working with self-employed folks.
You Don’t Have to Navigate Taxes Alone
You have a lot to juggle when running your own business, and taxes are just one responsibility. The good news is you can take advantage of deductions, and tax professionals are there to help. They can guide you through each step, answer your questions, and make sure you’re not overlooking any valuable savings opportunities. That way, you can focus on what matters most — running your business and meeting your customers’ needs.
References:
(1) Learn more at irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes
(2) Learn more at irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-schedule-se-form-1040
(3) Learn more at irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040es.pdf
(4) Learn more at irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed
(5) Learn more at irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf
(6) Learn more at irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employed-individuals-tax-center
(7) Learn more at irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p334.pdf
(8) Learn more at irs.gov/taxtopics/tc554
(9) Learn more at irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator
(10) Learn more at irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers