Guides
Self-employed taxes, explained plainly.
Short guides with real 2026 numbers. Every figure links to the IRS or SSA page it came from.
Estimated tax payments 2026: the four due dates
The four 2026 estimated tax deadlines for self-employed people, which months each payment covers, who has to pay, and what to do if you missed one.
Read the guide No. 02 · 2 min readHow much to set aside for taxes on 1099 income (2026)
The real share of your profit that goes to federal tax in 2026, by income and filing status, and why the usual 25 to 30% rule is often wrong.
Read the guide No. 03 · 2 min readThe estimated tax safe harbor: how to avoid the underpayment penalty in 2026
Pay the smaller of 90% of this year's tax or 100% (or 110%) of last year's, and the IRS can't charge an underpayment penalty. How to pick the cheaper one.
Read the guide No. 04 · 2 min readSelf-employment tax in 2026: how the 15.3% really works
Self-employment tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of your profit, up to the $184,500 Social Security wage base. A plain explanation with worked examples.
Read the guide No. 05 · 3 min readSchedule C tax form: where every expense goes, line by line (2026)
Where every common business expense goes on Schedule C, from advertising on line 8 to other expenses on line 27b, plus what doesn't belong on it at all.
Read the guide No. 06 · 4 min readIRS mileage rate 2026: 72.5¢, then 76¢ from July 1
The 2026 IRS mileage rate is 72.5¢ a mile to June 30 and 76¢ from July 1. Work out your deduction with both rates, see past rates, and what your log needs.
Read the guide No. 07 · 4 min readForm 2210: the underpayment penalty explained (2026)
When the IRS charges the estimated tax underpayment penalty, how it's figured (about 7% a year), a calculator for yours, and whether to file Form 2210.
Read the guide No. 08 · 6 min readDoorDash taxes 2026: what Dashers owe and how to pay it
Dashers are self-employed, so no tax comes out of DoorDash pay. What you owe, the 1099 you'll get, the 2026 mileage rates, the tips deduction and when to pay.
Read the guide No. 09 · 5 min readBank statement to Excel: how to download your transactions as a CSV
Your bank statement is a PDF, but nearly every bank lets you download the same transactions as a CSV for Excel or Google Sheets. Where to find it, bank by bank.
Read the guide No. 10 · 6 min readHow to pay estimated taxes online in 2026, step by step
The free ways to pay quarterly estimated tax online. IRS Direct Pay step by step, your IRS Online Account, what a card costs, and what changed with EFTPS.
Read the guide No. 11 · 4 min readForm 1099-NEC for 2026: the new $2,000 rule, and what to do with yours
Clients now send a 1099-NEC only if they paid you $2,000 or more in 2026, up from $600. What the boxes mean, when it arrives, and how to report it.
Read the guide No. 12 · 4 min readForm 1099-K for 2026: the $20,000 and 200 rule, and what to do with yours
Payment apps send a 1099-K above $20,000 and 200 sales; card payments have no minimum. How to report it, and what to do about fees and personal sales.
Read the guide No. 13 · 3 min readCalifornia estimated tax payments for 2026: 30%, 40%, 0%, 30%
California splits 2026 estimated tax 30%, 40%, nothing in September, then 30%. Who has to pay, the safe harbor, high-earner rules and how to pay the FTB.
Read the guide No. 14 · 3 min readNew York estimated tax payments for 2026 (Form IT-2105)
New York estimated tax for 2026, including New York City tax and the MCTMT. Who must pay, the four due dates, the 90%/100%/110% safe harbor and the penalty.
Read the guide No. 15 · 2 min readNew Jersey estimated tax payments for 2026 (NJ-1040-ES)
New Jersey estimated tax for 2026. Who must pay (over $400), the four due dates, the 80% rule that's easier than the IRS's, the interest charge and how to pay.
Read the guide No. 16 · 4 min read2027 tax brackets and standard deduction: what changes if you're self-employed
The IRS 2027 tax brackets, standard deduction and other figures, and what they mean for freelancers' quarterly estimated taxes. Worked examples included.
Read the guide No. 17 · 3 min readThe QBI deduction for 2026: the 20% write-off most freelancers can claim
The qualified business income deduction lets most sole proprietors deduct up to 20% of their profit. 2026 rules, the new $400 minimum, limits and examples.
Read the guide No. 18 · 3 min readSelf-employed health insurance deduction: who qualifies and how much it saves
Freelancers can deduct health, dental and vision premiums on Schedule 1, line 17. Who qualifies, the employer-plan rule, Marketplace subsidies and an example.
Read the guide No. 19 · 3 min read1099 vs W-2: how the taxes really differ (with 2026 numbers)
W-2 employees have tax withheld and split FICA with the employer. 1099 contractors pay 15.3% self-employment tax and quarterly estimates. Side by side.
Read the guide No. 20 · 4 min readYear-end tax checklist for the self-employed: 10 things to do before December 31, 2026
Ten year-end tax moves for freelancers and sole proprietors before December 31, 2026, from the January 15 payment to equipment, retirement plans and records.
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