Self Employment Tax in Oak Harbor, Washington

Find the right Self Employment Tax attorney in Oak Harbor, WA

Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Oak Harbor

In the U.S., Oak Harbor, Washington included, almost everyone who is employed during most of their adult life is qualified for Social Security and Medicare benefits when they retire. These programs are supported by taxes deducted from the paychecks of most employees.

Individuals who are self-employed are still accountable for these taxes, and are responsible for figuring out how much they owe.

Normally, it's the employer who makes all these calculations, and the employee doesn't have to think about it. Most larger employers have payroll departments to take these matters, making it pretty simple for them. But, if you are self-employed, it's up to you to accurately determine what you have to pay in self-employment taxes

Self-Employment tax obligations in Oak Harbor, Washington

If you own a sole-proprietorship, or work mainly as an independent contractor, you need to pay the "self-employment tax" if you derive any considerable amount of income from self-employment. You must pay these taxes if your income from self-employment is more than annually.

For people who are employed by another person or company, the employer normally matches the employee's contributions to Medicare and Social Security. This basically 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.

But, if you are self-employed in Oak Harbor, Washington, you are accountable to pay both the employee and employer share of the employment tax. Basically, this means that the employment tax for self-employed individuals is double what it would be for regular employees.

In Oak Harbor, Washington, self-employed business owners pay a self-employment tax rate of 15.3%. This is, of course, separate from, and additional to, whatever they pay in income tax. In an effort to partially offset this further tax burden, half of what one pays in self-employment taxes can be deducted from their income when filing their income taxes. This means that the self employed pay income taxes on, at most, 92% of their income. And it's probably less, thanks to all the other deductions they might qualify for. This deduction lowers the effective self-employment tax rate to 14%, rather than the "official" rate of over 15%.

Can a Oak Harbor, Washington Tax Attorney Help?

If you're self-employed in Oak Harbor, you need to keep complete 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 simpler for a tax attorney to give you good, useful advice, should you eventually need it.

That said, if you are encountering trouble figuring out clearly how much self-employment tax you owe in Oak Harbor, Washington, a competent tax attorney shouldn't have any trouble helping you on that front. Likewise, if you end up in a dispute with the government over your self-employment tax requirement, a good tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of getting a favorable result.

Talk to a Tax Law Attorney now!

Life in Oak Harbor

Oak Harbor, Washington is a city in Island County, Washington. It is physically located on Whidbey Island, which is about 30 miles north of Seattle, and just off Puget Sound. Oak Harbor currently has a population of approximately 20,000 people.

Oak Harbor was incorporated in 1915. The history of Oak Harbor dates back to the mid 1800s, when 3 settlers staked claims in the area, which roughly coincide with the boundaries of the current city. Early settlers were largely from Norway and Sweden, giving the city a distinctive Scandinavian feel.

Oak Harbor is home to a major military installation - the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. This base is home to thousands of personnel, and is a major source of jobs and outside money for Oak Harbor, and the other communities in Whidbey Island.

The community is also home to one of the Pacific Northwest's major scenic landmarks: the Deception Pass Bridge, which connects Whidbey Island with Fidalgo Island.

Thanks to its proximity to Seattle, and its diverse population, there are many lawyers in and around Oak Harbor, Washington who are ready to handle virtually any legal issue that you might have. If you need legal advice, you should contact an Oak Harbor, Washington attorney as soon as possible.

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