Self Employment Tax in Odessa, Texas

Find the right Self Employment Tax attorney in Odessa, TX

Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Odessa

In the U.S., including in Odessa, Texas, taxes are levied on employees, which are usually 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 required 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.

Usually, it's the employer who does all the calculations, deciding 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 confirm that your figures are accurate.

Self-Employment tax obligations in Odessa, Texas

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

Employees in a regular employer/employee relationship do enjoy one significant 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 effectively doubles your contribution to these programs, without doubling their financial burden on you.

However, self-employed workers in Odessa, Texas must make both the employee and employer contributions. So, this means that the Medicare and Social Security tax liabilities apply doubly to the self-employed.

Self-employed workers in Odessa, Texas pay a self-employment tax rate of 15.3% of their income that's derived from self-employment. But, half of whatever they end up paying in self-employment tax is deductible from income tax. This effectively creates a tax deduction of nearly 8% of one's income, requiring you to only pay taxes on 92% of what you earn. Further tax deductions may lower that number further. When this deduction is taken into account, the self-employment tax rate is effectively 14%, as opposed to over 15%.

Can a Odessa, Texas Tax Attorney Help?

If you are self-employed in Odessa, it's essential that you keep good records of your income and expenses, because a tax attorney will only be able to help you to the extent that you help yourself.

So, if you have some trouble figuring out what you owe in self-employment taxes, for whatever reason, chances are good that a qualified tax attorney in Odessa, Texas can help you with much trouble, and can provide you with good legal and financial advice, which can help you head off much more serious legal and financial issues.

Talk to a Tax Law Attorney now!

Life in Odessa

Odessa, Texas is a city in Ector County, Texas, and it has a population of about 100,000 people. It is the principle city in the Odessa Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Odessa was founded as a water stop for the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1880s. From these humble beginnings, it gradually grew into a thriving medium-sized city.

The major employers in Odessa are the school district, hospital, and the Halliburton Corporation, which has an office in the area. These employ thousands of people in a wide variety of disciplines.

The Odessa area is currently a major regional center for the performing and visual arts, particularly the Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra. It is also home to the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library, focused on the Presidency of the United States. It is dedicated to informing the public about the office of the presidency, rather than any particular president.

There are many lawyers in and around Odessa, Texas, who reflect the diversity and values of the community. There are plenty of Odessa, Texas attorneys who can handle just about any legal issue you might be facing. If you need legal assistance of any kind, an Odessa, Texas attorney can help.

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