Self-employment taxes, in plain English.
Short, practical guides for freelancers, contractors, and small businesses — what to set aside, what you can deduct, and how quarterly taxes work. Written by the team behind Taxottic.
How much should I set aside for taxes when self-employed?
A simple way to size your tax set-aside — self-employment tax plus income tax — and why a flat percentage of every payment keeps April calm.
Read the guide →Schedule C deductions: what self-employed people can write off
The everyday business expenses that lower your taxable income — home office, mileage, software, phone, and more — each tied to its IRS source.
Read the guide →Quarterly estimated taxes, explained
Who owes them, the four due dates, how to estimate each payment, and how to avoid the underpayment penalty.
Read the guide →Home office deduction: who qualifies and how to calculate it
The 'regular and exclusive use' test, plus the simplified ($5/sq ft) and actual-expense methods compared.
Read the guide →1099 vs W-2: how each affects your taxes
Who withholds, who pays the full 15.3% self-employment tax, who can deduct expenses, and who owes quarterly estimates.
Read the guide →Your first year freelancing: a tax checklist
A do-this-now list: set money aside, separate your finances, track deductions, and pay quarterly so April is boring.
Read the guide →Sole proprietor, LLC, or S-corp: how each is taxed
Pass-through income, self-employment tax, and when an S-corp salary-plus-distributions setup actually saves money.
Read the guide →Business mileage deduction: how to track and claim it
Standard mileage rate vs actual expenses, which trips count, and the contemporaneous log the IRS expects.
Read the guide →The QBI deduction: a 20% break for small-business income
Deduct up to 20% of qualified business income — who qualifies, the income limits, and the service-business phase-out.
Read the guide →The self-employed health insurance deduction
Deduct premiums for you and your family — who qualifies, what counts, and why it's an adjustment, not a Schedule C expense.
Read the guide →What is a 1099-K? Thresholds and what to do with it
Why payment apps send one, the changing threshold, and how to reconcile gross amounts (and stray personal payments).
Read the guide →