Self Employment Tax Expense Deductions

Filing your taxes as a W-2 employee can be an excellent time to lower your tax bill when you plan ahead. But, when you are self-employed, the paperwork and tax deductions that there may be many tax situations create enough to give you a history of independent acne. Whether you are presenting your business taxes as a self-employed person for the first time or for 20 years, there are certainly good practices that could save you thousands of dollars a year. So now will talk about self employment tax expense deductions.

What is a tax deduction?

If you are filing your own taxes for the first time. You are probably thinking about exactly what the tax deduction is. Essentially the amount of the tax deduction is the amount of money that the Internal Revenue Service.  Allows you to subtract from your total income to reduce your taxable income. In some cases, you can make many tax deductions in a lower income tax bracket significantly reducing the amount of taxes you pay for the year.

There are two main types of deductions available under U.S tax law.  The standard deduction and the detailed deductions. Most people will decide to adopt the standard tax deduction route. The amount of the normal deduction varies according to your marital status. For fiscal year 2019, the tax code states that individual taxpayers and married taxpayers can separately file a standard deduction amount of $ 12,200. These married statements can claim a standard deduction of $ 24,400, and taxpayers who file a declaration as “head of household,” that is, people with dependents, can claim a standard deduction of $ 18,350. It can be misleading to get a tax deduction of $ 12,200 to $ 24,400. However, many taxpayers reduce their tax bill by selecting a deduction amount.

Common deductions for freelancers

This list is relevant to many freelancers, including bicycles shared by drivers, such as Uber or Lyft drivers, who require large mileage deductions, or writers who can deduct from the home office. These commercial deductions can relate to designers, housewives, photographers, construction workers, consultants or any other professional who works for himself. These are some of the most common deductions:

Travel and hotel

If you travel to a customer or attend trade shows, you may be able to deduct the cost of the trip. Business travel expenses include transportation and accommodation expenses The IRS allows a 50 percent deduction for business lunch costs, but due to the recent change in the tax law, it is more difficult to calculate the deduction. Check the costs of your business lunch. You should not attempt to deduct any expenses associated with tourism and pleasure trips, which may encourage exploration. Some people who work on their own work from their homes.

Home Office

Many independent people work from their homes, and the IRS allows self-employed workers to deduct part of their mortgage (including property taxes) or their income that goes to a home office. To qualify for this deduction, you must have a specific area in your home designated for work, and you must refrain from using it for other purposes. When claiming this deduction, you can calculate the value of the deduction, using the regular or simplified home office deduction option.

Services

Freelancers who work at home can deduct some utility costs such as a home office cost. The percentage of your utility costs is tax deductible according to the percentage of your home that is in your office. In addition to gas and electricity, heating, air conditioning and telephone service costs can be deducted by independent workers. However, we inform you that you cannot actually deduct the utility if you claim the simplified deduction from the home office. Your professional development costs may also be tax deductible.

Specialized development

As an independent worker, it is important that you find ways to stand out from your competitors. To be at the forefront of the package, many independent people attend education classes and seminars. The cost of these costs can be added, so the IRS allows independent individuals to deduct the costs of professional development in their declarations.

FICA’s own account tax deduction

If you are a traditional employee, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, known as FICA, has a tax burden divided between you and your employer. If you are self-employed, you are responsible for paying the full amount of the FICA tax, which pays Social Security and Medicare contributions. You can deduct part of the FICA tax as a business expense in Annex 1 of Form 1040. Complete Annex SE to determine the exact amount of your FICA tax deduction. If you have the right tools, you can prepare your personal business and your tax returns in less time.

Keep correspondence in viewpoint

Taxes filed as a freelancer can be stressful, and self-employment tax forms may be altered. However, by taking advantage of all possible deductions and understandings you expect, you can minimize your tax burden and grow your business. Tax preparation can take a long time. However, if you invest the time to claim all your deductions, you will pay less taxes. Use financial software, such as QuickBooks Self-employee, to track costs during the year and automatically count them as deductions. For more advice on tax time, see our tax guide for freelancers. To find the costs that may qualify for a personal deduction, see our section on deductions in Annex A.

Before you go, I hope this article about self employment tax expense deductions is helpful for you. To speak to a recommended tax expert contact us today.