In partnership with The Wall Street Journal
Guest or
Level:
Newcomer
FiQ Points:
0

Year-round tax strategies you'll need if you're self-employed


MW_Color

Share This

  •  
    Comments (2)

Sponsored by

The Short Story

If you're self-employed, you're responsible for your own taxes year round. This MarketWatch article offers tips to help the self-employed save time and money on their taxes.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Though the tax season is past us, some people must continue to pay taxes year round: the self-employed. For them, tax planning never stops. Without a regular pay check, they have responsibility for their own tax tactics.

If you are in this situation, you can save yourself time and money with these four tips:

  1. Educate yourself on the self-employment tax. The surest way to save on your bill at year's end is to fully understand the tax laws that apply to you. The best resource is the Internal Revenue's website, IRS.gov.
  2. Consider computerizing your record-keeping. Record-keeping is essential for accurately estimating your quarterly payments and for filing your end-of-the-year tax return. If you have not done so yet, consider buying a software program to keep your finances organized. Two popular programs for sole proprietors are Microsoft Money Plus and Intuit Quicken Home and Business 2008.
  3. Make your estimated payments on time. Unlike salaried employees, the self-employed have no income withheld from their paycheck. They must estimate their income minus deductions and pay tax on these estimates four times a year -- the 15th day of April, June, September and January (of the next year). By paying on time, you avoid late penalties.
  4. Establish a retirement plan. Contributions to certain kinds of plans can be deducted from your tax bill. Consider a Keogh retirement plan if your business has employees. To qualify for deduction for the current year, you must open a Keogh plan before Dec. 31.You can refer to IRS Pub 560 for more information on retirement plans, including Keogh plans, for the self-employed.

Related Offers

Visit MarketWatch.com for breaking financial news and quotes.


  •  
    Comments (2)
  •  

Comments

Sort by:

Thomas Fisher, CFP®
FiLife Contributor

People working as contractors should be especially careful about estimated tax payments. I've seen people overlook this and then get hit with underpayment penalties.

Was this useful?

Yes

(4)

No

(5)

Walt Mozdzer, CFP®
FiLife Contributor

What about using Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) for married small business owners? No, I'm not confusing this with Health Savings Accounts (HSA). Check out HRA's and how they work.

Was this useful?

Yes

(0)

No

(0)

Post Comment

Generic User Image

Participating in the FiLife community requires a user account.

You can or sign in with your Facebook account by clicking this button:

If you're already a member, .

Stacker Poll of the Day

Market Summary

INDU Chart
COMP Chart
SPX Chart

Enter Symbol or Keyword

Quote:
Separate multiple quotes with spaces

Today’s Rates

Type Today Week Ago
15 Year Fixed 4.62% Rates_down 4.67%
30 Year Fixed 5.15% 5.15%
1 Year ARM 3.48% Rates_down 3.51%
5/1 Year ARM 3.62% Rates_down 3.68%
Type Today Week Ago
Line of Credit 4.89% Rates_up 4.88%
10 Year Loan 7.47% 7.47%
15 Year Loan 7.61% Rates_up 7.60%
Type Today Week Ago
Interest Checking 0.28% 0.28%
Money Market/Savings 0.38% 0.38%
12 Month CD 1.13% Rates_deposit_down 1.15%
60 Month IRA CD 2.40% Rates_deposit_down 2.41%
Type Today Week Ago
Cash Back Cards 12.66% Rates_down 12.68%
No Annual Fee Cards 12.08% Rates_up 11.97%
Reward Cards 12.75% Rates_up 12.61%
Small Business Cards 11.01% Rates_up 10.94%
Student Cards 13.77% Rates_up 13.49%
Platinum Cards 12.26% Rates_up 12.11%
Provided by Informa 11.06.09