Free guides to self-employment tax.

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 covers April before it arrives.
Schedule C deductions: what self-employed people can write offThe everyday business expenses that lower your taxable income, home office, mileage, software, phone, and more, each tied to its IRS source.
Quarterly estimated taxes, explainedWho owes them, the four due dates, how to estimate each payment, and how to avoid the underpayment penalty.
Home office deduction: who qualifies and how to calculate itThe 'regular and exclusive use' test, plus the simplified ($5/sq ft) and actual-expense methods compared.
1099 vs W-2: how each affects your taxesWho withholds, who pays the full 15.3% self-employment tax, who can deduct expenses, and who owes quarterly estimates.
Your first year freelancing: a tax checklistA do-this-now list: set money aside, separate your finances, track deductions, and pay quarterly so April is boring.
Sole proprietor, LLC, or S-corp: how each is taxedPass-through income, self-employment tax, and when an S-corp salary-plus-distributions setup actually saves money.
Business mileage deduction: how to track and claim itStandard mileage rate vs actual expenses, which trips count, and the contemporaneous log the IRS expects.
The QBI deduction: a 20% break for small-business incomeDeduct up to 20% of qualified business income, who qualifies, the income limits, and the service-business phase-out.
The self-employed health insurance deductionDeduct premiums for you and your family, who qualifies, what counts, and why it's an adjustment, not a Schedule C expense.
What is a 1099-K? Thresholds and what to do with itWhy payment apps send one, the changing threshold, and how to reconcile gross amounts (and stray personal payments).

Prefer to just see the number? The free calculators estimate your self-employment tax, income tax, and quarterly payments instantly, no sign-up.