Self Employment Tax in Salt Lake City, Utah

Find the right Self Employment Tax attorney in Salt Lake City, UT

Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Salt Lake City

In the U.S., including in Salt Lake City, Utah, taxes are levied on employees, which are typically deducted from their paychecks. The ones that most people are acquainted with are the Medicare and Social Security taxes. The idea is that workers pay into these programs during their entire working lives, and then enjoy the benefits they provide once they retire.

But what if you're self-employed? You're still obliged to pay these taxes, since you will also be qualified for those retirement programs. It's also your responsibility to determine what your tax liability is.

Most frequently, employers handle all of these calculations. With regular salaried and hourly employees, this is an easy procedure, and any decent payroll computer software can do it automatically. But, if you work for yourself, it is your responsibility to figure out precisely what you owe.

Self-Employment tax obligations in Salt Lake City, Utah

If you mainly work as an independent contractor, or are the owner of a sole proprietorship, you have to pay what's regularly referred to as the "self-employment tax," if your annual income from self-employment is over .

Employees in a regular employer/employee relationship do enjoy one substantial perk that the self-employed do not: their Social Security and Medicare contributions are matched by their employers. So, if you pay in Social Security and Medicare taxes with every paycheck, your employer has to match that. This essentially doubles your contribution to these programs, without doubling their financial burden on you.

But, if you are self-employed in Salt Lake City, Utah, you are responsible to pay both the employee and employer share of the employment tax. Essentially, this means that the employment tax for self-employed individuals is double what it would be for regular employees.

The total self-employment tax (note that this is totally distinct from the income tax) is set at 15.3%, if your income from self-employment in Salt Lake City, Utah exceeds . But, half of this tax is deducted from your income, for income tax purposes. Thus, this means that, at most, the self-employed only have to pay income on 92% of their total income, and that amount may be lowered with further deductions for which you may be eligible. This means that, essentially, the self-employment tax rate is only 14%, as opposed to 15.3%

Can a Salt Lake City, Utah Tax Attorney Help?

If you work for yourself in Salt Lake City, you have to stay on top of your self-employment taxes, to avoid facing significant legal and financial issues later on. This means you need to keep reliable records of all your income and expenses, in case you need to seek the advice of a tax attorney: the more information you can provide your lawyer, the better he or she can help you.

If you have any difficulty calculating your self-employment tax liability, an efficient Salt Lake City, Utah tax attorney would likely have very little trouble assisting you figure it out. A reliable lawyer can also give you practical legal advice, which can help you avoid more egregious tax law issues in the future, by dealing with them before they become problematic.

Talk to a Tax Law Attorney now!

Life in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah is the capital of, and largest city in, the state of Utah. It is also the county seat of Salt Lake County. It has a population of about 180,000 people in the city proper, and its greater urban area has a population of over 2 million people. Salt Lake City was established as the center of Mormon settlement in the Utah Territory, with the first permanent settlement being established in 1847. Disputes quickly sprung up between the settlers and the federal government, largely over the former Mormon practice of polygamy (marrying multiple wives to a single man), which the religion was believed to encourage or mandate at the time. As part of an agreement to end these disputes, Utah (and the Mormon Church) banned polygamy, as a condition of Utah's admission to the Union. Modernly, Salt Lake City is a thriving medium-sized city, and it is one of the main population and economic centers in the Mountain West. Its economy is largely service-based. Utah is known for having some of the best skiing conditions in North America, so winter tourism is a major sector in the local economy. If you live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and need an attorney, it's very likely that you'll be able to find one who's right for you. Salt Lake City, Utah lawyers are used to handling a wide variety of cases, with great variation in sophistication.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Joel C.
Joel C.

Tax Law

Davidson, TN

Edwin L.
Edwin L.

Tax Law

Fayette, TN

Tax Defense N.
Tax Defense N.

Tax Law

Ohio, TN