Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Broken Arrow
In the U.S., including in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, taxes are placed on employees, which are typically deducted from their paychecks. The ones that most people are familiar 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.
Individuals who are self-employed are still responsible for these taxes, and are responsible for figuring out how much they owe.
Typically, it's the employer who does all the calculations, determining what deductions need to be made from a worker's paycheck to cover his or her tax liability. But if you are your own boss, you have to do this, and ensure that your figures are accurate.
Self-Employment tax obligations in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
If you primarily work as an independent contractor, or are the owner of a sole proprietorship, you have to pay what's typically 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.
However, if you are self-employed in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, 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 completely distinct from the income tax) is set at 15.3%, if your income from self-employment in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma exceeds . However, 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 additional 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 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Tax Attorney Help?
If you're self-employed in Broken Arrow, you need to keep accurate records of all your income and expenses from the operation of your business. This will make it much easier for you to calculate your taxes when they come due, and it will make it easier for a tax attorney to give you good, useful advice, should you eventually need it.
With all that said, if you are having difficulty determining just how much money you owe in Medicare and Social Security taxes from self-employment in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and keep good financial records, it should be relatively easy for a decent tax attorney to help you. And, if you end up facing a more significant legal issue over your self-employment tax liability, a tax attorney may prove to be invaluable.