The self-employment tax rate is 15.3%. The rate consists of two parts: 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance).
You should plan to set aside 25% to 30% of your taxable freelance income to pay both quarterly taxes and any additional tax that you owe when you file your taxes in April. Freelancers must budget for both income tax and FICA taxes. You can use IRS Form 1040-ES to calculate your estimated tax payments.
Self-employed people are responsible for paying the same federal income taxes as everyone else. The difference is that they don't have an employer to withhold money from their paycheck and send it to the IRS—or to share the burden of paying Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Here's an example of how these calculations might work: Say you earned a net income of $20,000 last year while working as a freelance photographer. To determine your self-employment tax, multiply this net income by 92.35%, the amount of your self-employment income subject to taxes. This gives you $18,740.
For example, if your net self-employment income is $50,000 multiply $50,000 by 0.9235 to get $46,175. Then, because $46,175 is less than the 2021 contribution and benefit of $142,800, multiply $46,175 by 0.153 to find you owe $7,064.78 in self-employment taxes for the year, which would leave you with $42,935.22.
The 10% rate applies to income from $1 to $10,000; the 20% rate applies to income from $10,001 to $20,000; and the 30% rate applies to all income above $20,000. Under this system, someone earning $10,000 is taxed at 10%, paying a total of $1,000. Someone earning $5,000 pays $500, and so on.
If you're taking an owner's draw, your pay should come from the business's net profit, which is revenue minus all operational expenses. That ensures you meet all business obligations (including paying employees, if you have them) before paying yourself.
The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% and it covers two separate taxes: 12.4% goes to Social Security and 2.9% goes toward Medicare. Normally, an employee only has to pay half of these taxes (7.65%) in the form of FICA tax, and their employer pays the remaining half.
If you make $120,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $38,515. That means that your net pay will be $81,485 per year, or $6,790 per month. Your average tax rate is 32.1% and your marginal tax rate is 43.0%.
For 2021, the self-employment tax rate is 15.3% on the first $142,800 worth of net income (up from $137,700 in 2020). That rate is the combination of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.
Earn less than $75,000? You may pay nothing in federal income taxes for 2021. At least half of taxpayers have income under $75,000, according to the most recent data available. The latest round of Covid stimulus checks, as well as more generous tax credits, are the main drivers of lower taxes for some households.
As a sole proprietor, you don't pay yourself a salary and you can't deduct your salary as a business expense. Technically, your “pay” is the profit (sales minus expenses) the business makes at the end of the year. You can hire other employees and pay them a salary. You just can't pay yourself that way.
As an owner of a limited liability company, known as an LLC, you'll generally pay yourself through an owner's draw. This method of payment essentially transfers a portion of the business's cash reserves to you for personal use. For multi-member LLCs, these draws are divided among the partners.
Pay for what you're worth
Whatever salary you choose, divide the figure by 12 and pay the same amount each month. Make sure the amount meets the IRS requirement that what you pay yourself is reasonable compensation to carry on a trade or business.
You can't avoid self-employment taxes entirely, but forming a corporation or an LLC could save you thousands of dollars every year. If you form an LLC, people can only sue you for its assets, while your personal assets stay protected. You can have your LLC taxed as an S Corporation to avoid self-employment taxes.
If you are single and a wage earner with an annual salary of $30,000, your federal income tax liability will be approximately $2,500. Social security and medicare tax will be approximately $2,300.
If you make $35,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $6,243. That means that your net pay will be $28,757 per year, or $2,396 per month. Your average tax rate is 17.8% and your marginal tax rate is 25.3%.
If you make $25,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $3,770. That means that your net pay will be $21,230 per year, or $1,769 per month. Your average tax rate is 15.1% and your marginal tax rate is 24.3%.
Members must report self-employment taxes on a Schedule SE. LLC members are responsible for paying the entire 15.3% (12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare). Members can deduct half of the self-employment tax paid from their adjusted gross income.
If you make $75,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $19,714. That means that your net pay will be $55,286 per year, or $4,607 per month. Your average tax rate is 26.3% and your marginal tax rate is 41.0%.
If you make $100,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $24,822.