Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Waynesburg

In the U.S., including in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 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.

It's crucial to note that if you are self-employed, you're still responsible for those taxes, and it's your responsibility to figure out what you owe.

In most cases, employers make all the necessary calculations to determine how much needs to be deducted from an employee's check to pay these taxes. It's typically very simple, and any decent payroll software can automate this process. But the self-employed are liable for figuring this out for themselves, or hiring an accountant to do it.

Self-Employment tax obligations in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

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.

Workers who are employed by someone else enjoy at least one perk that the self-employed do not: their employer matches their Social Security and Medicare contributions, essentially doubling the amount of money that's contributed to these funds on the employee's behalf.

But, if you are a self-employed business owner in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, you are liable for both the employee and employer contributions to Medicare and Social Security. This basically doubles your self-employment tax rate.

Currently, the self-employment tax rate in the United States is 15.30% of all income earned from self-employment in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. However, half of your hypothetical self-employment tax liability can be deducted from your income. This means that you only pay self-employment tax on about 92% of your income, which creates an effective self-employment tax rate of just over 14%.

Can a Waynesburg, Pennsylvania Tax Attorney Help?

Self-employed individuals in Waynesburg 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.

Thus, if you have some trouble figuring out what you owe in self-employment taxes, for whatever reason, chances are good that a knowledgeable tax attorney in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania can advise you with much trouble, and can provide you with good legal and financial advice, which can help you head off much more significant legal and financial issues.