Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Zeeland

In Zeeland, Michigan, some taxes are enforced on employees, and deducted from their paychecks. Most people are cognizant of the Medicare and Social Security taxes - which fund those two programs by taking a small percentage of every paycheck an employee receives.

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 Zeeland, Michigan

If you work as an independent contractor, or operate a sole proprietorship, you are deemed to be "self employed." You are obliged to pay the self-employment tax if your total income from self-employment exceeds per year.

For people who are employed by another person or company, the employer typically matches the employee's contributions to Medicare and Social Security. This essentially means that, when you look at your Medicare and Social Security tax statements on your paychecks, you can know that those programs are actually getting double what's shown there - with your employer covering the other half.

However, if you are a self-employed business owner in Zeeland, Michigan, you are liable for both the employee and employer contributions to Medicare and Social Security. This essentially doubles your self-employment tax rate.

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 Zeeland, Michigan 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 Zeeland, Michigan Tax Attorney Help?

Self-employed individuals in Zeeland must ensure that they keep good, accurate financial records. This makes it much easier to determine what you owe, and, if you need a tax attorney, it makes it easier for them to advise you with your legal tax concerns.

If you have any difficulty calculating your self-employment tax liability, an efficient Zeeland, Michigan 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 significant tax law issues in the future, by dealing with them before they become problematic.