Taxes
Self-employment tax, quarterly estimated payments, deductions, and filing basics.
31 guides
Do Freelancers Need an EIN? When You Need One
A sole proprietor without employees or a retirement plan usually doesn't need an EIN. When you do, how to get one free from the IRS, and what to put on a W-9.
8 min readRead →
Etsy, eBay and Amazon Seller Taxes: A $62,000 1099-K Isn't Profit
Online sellers pay tax on profit after returns, cost of goods sold and fees. How inventory works on Schedule C, with a full worked example.
9 min readRead →
Freelance Writer, Designer and Developer Taxes, With Real Numbers
Taxes for freelance writers, designers and developers: when income counts, unpaid invoices, deductions, the SSTB question and three worked examples.
8 min readRead →
Locum Tenens, 1099 Nurse and Consultant Taxes: Tax Home and Travel
Tax rules for 1099 nurses, locum tenens and consultants: tax home, the 1-year rule, deductible travel and lodging, QBI as an SSTB, and when an S corp fits.
8 min readRead →
Real Estate Agent Taxes in 2026: Closings, Deductions and QBI
How real estate agents are taxed: self-employed status, when a closing counts, what you can deduct, driving, gifts and licensing costs, and the QBI deduction.
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How to Amend a Tax Return as a Freelancer: Form 1040-X Guide
Found a missed deduction or 1099 after filing? When Form 1040-X is worth it, the deadline, how long it takes, and how Schedule C changes flow through.
10 min readRead →
Year-End Tax Moves for the Self-Employed Before December 31, 2026
What must happen by December 31 for 2026 and what can wait: Solo 401(k) deferral, equipment, expenses, income timing and the January 15 payment.
9 min readRead →
Side Hustle Income Under $600: Do You Still Have to Report It?
Yes, you report it. What the $600 and $400 numbers really mean, when self-employment tax applies, and what a small side income costs in 2026.
9 min readRead →
Startup Costs for a New Freelance Business: What You Can Deduct
What you spent before the first client can be deducted up to $5,000, with the rest spread over 15 years. What counts, what doesn't, and a worked example.
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Can't Pay Your Tax Bill as a Freelancer? What an IRS Payment Plan Really Costs
File on time even if you can't pay. What an IRS payment plan costs in fees, interest and penalties, with a $12,000 example and the rule freelancers must watch.
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Freelancing for Foreign Clients: What U.S. Freelancers Must File
Paid by clients abroad or holding a foreign account? How to convert currency, when an FBAR or Form 8938 applies, and what foreign tax you can credit.
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How to Pay Estimated Taxes Online: Direct Pay, Your IRS Account or a Card
Pay estimated taxes online for free with IRS Direct Pay or your IRS online account. Which tax year to pick, how to schedule, and how to confirm it posted.
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How to Pay Yourself as a Freelancer: Draws, Taxes and S Corps
Freelancers pay themselves with owner's draws, not a salary. How draws work, how much to set aside for tax, and when an S corp pays off, with examples.
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1099 vs. W-2: How Much More Do You Need to Earn to Come Out Even?
A W-2 salary compared with a 1099 rate after federal tax, from $50,000 to $200,000, and what benefits and unpaid time add on top.
6 min readRead →
How to File Taxes as a Freelancer for the First Time: Step by Step (2026)
The order to follow, the forms you need, where each number goes, and an $80,000 example from Schedule C to Form 1040, plus extensions.
6 min readRead →
1099-NEC vs. 1099-K in 2026: What Freelancers Must Report
What the 1099-NEC, 1099-K and 1099-MISC report, the 2026 thresholds, how to reconcile overlaps, and what to do if you pay contractors.
7 min readRead →
Freelancer Tax Deductions 2026: What You Can Write Off, Line by Line (Schedule C)
Every Schedule C expense line explained for freelancers, with examples, the 50% meals rule, year-end Section 179 and bonus depreciation, and an $80,000 worked example.
10 min readRead →
Estimated Taxes on Irregular Income: The Annualized Method
Uneven income? The annualized income installment method (Form 2210, Schedule AI) can shrink early estimated payments. See a 2026 example.
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Content Creator Taxes 2026: What YouTubers and Influencers Owe
What a creator with YouTube, brand deal and affiliate income owes on $62,000, how free products count, what you can deduct, and when to pay.
14 min readRead →
Booth Rental Taxes 2026: What Stylists and Barbers Owe
What a booth renter owes on $60,000 of client payments, how much to set aside, when to pay, what you can deduct, and which tips the new deduction covers.
12 min readRead →
DoorDash, Uber, Lyft and Instacart Taxes 2026: What Drivers Really Owe
The 1099s each app sends in 2026, the new tips deduction, mileage at both 2026 rates, and what a part-time and a full-time driver owe, worked out.
7 min readRead →
LLC vs. Sole Proprietorship: Why Your Taxes Barely Change
A single-member LLC is taxed like a sole proprietorship by default: same Schedule C, same self-employment tax, same QBI deduction. What changes, what doesn't, and how LLC tax elections work.
5 min readRead →
Is an S Corp Worth It? What $120K of Profit Saves in 2026
How an S corporation election can cut self-employment tax, why reasonable compensation decides how much, the costs it adds, and a worked 2026 example comparing a $120,000 freelancer as a sole proprietor and as an S corp.
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2026 Mileage Rate: 72.5¢ Until June 30, 76¢ From July 1
The 2026 IRS standard mileage rate changed mid-year: 72.5 cents per mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1. How it compares with deducting actual car expenses, with a worked example and the rules for choosing.
6 min readRead →
Home Office Deduction: Why the Regular Method Often Pays More
Who qualifies, when the deduction doesn't apply, and the $5-per-square-foot simplified method against the regular method, with worked renter and homeowner examples and what a home sale does.
10 min readRead →
QBI Deduction 2026: How Freelancers Deduct Up to 20%
The 2026 QBI deduction for freelancers: the 20% formula, a worked $80,000 example, who doesn't qualify and the income limits that shrink it.
11 min readRead →
Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction (2026): Who Qualifies and How Form 7206 Works
Who can deduct self-employed health insurance, how much of the premium counts, where it goes (Schedule 1, not Schedule C) and how Form 7206 works.
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Estimated Tax Due Dates 2026 and How to Avoid the Penalty
The four 2026 estimated tax due dates, what the safe harbor rule requires (90%, 100% or 110%), and how the underpayment penalty works, with a worked example and what to do if you've fallen behind.
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How Much Should I Set Aside for Taxes as a Freelancer?
A common starting point is 25% to 30% of net profit. Your real number depends on profit, filing status, deductions, state and any W-2 income. Calculate it here.
9 min readRead →
Quarterly Estimated Taxes 2026: Your Payment in 6 Steps
The 2026 Form 1040-ES worksheet step by step, from net profit to the amount you pay each quarter, with a worked example for an $80,000 freelancer.
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Self-Employment Tax: Why It Isn't 15.3% of All Your Profit
Self-employment tax is 15.3%, but not of your full profit. How the 92.35% base, the 2026 Social Security wage base and the half-of-SE-tax deduction work, with worked examples.
6 min readRead →