Freelancer money guides, in plain English
Practical explainers for freelancers, contractors, and side-hustlers. Pair them with our free calculators. Educational content only — not tax or financial advice.
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51 guides
2027 Self-Employment Tax
Official 2027 Social Security cap, SE-tax rates, and examples at three profit levels.
Uneven Income? The Annualized Estimated Tax Method (2026)
Most of your money lands in the fall? The annualized method lets early 2026 payments follow your actual income instead of four equal quarters.
Writing Off a Laptop & Equipment (2026)
The $2,500 de minimis rule, Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation — how a $3,000 laptop can come off this year’s Schedule C, and when it can’t.
Freelance Platform & Payment Fees (2026)
Upwork 0–15%, Fiverr 20%, card processing ~3% — how fees shrink your real hourly rate, how to price them in, and why they’re deductible.
HSA for Self-Employed Freelancers (2026)
2026 limits $4,400 / $8,750, HDHP thresholds, Form 8889 — and why HSA contributions don’t cut self-employment tax.
2026 Standard Deduction for Freelancers
Same $16,100 / $32,200 / $24,150 amounts as everyone else — plus how Schedule C and half of SE tax stack with it.
Additional Medicare Tax for Freelancers
0.9% above $200k single / $250k joint: Form 8959, wage+SE stacking, and how it differs from SE tax.
Deductible Half of Self-Employment Tax
Schedule 1 line 15: why half of SE tax lowers income tax (not SE tax), plus QBI and estimate tips.
Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction
Schedule 1 line 17, Form 7206, the monthly eligibility test, Medicare, and 2026 LTCI caps.
How to Pay Estimated Taxes Online
Free IRS Direct Pay walkthrough for 1040-ES, plus Online Account, card, and check alternatives.
1099 Taxes in Flat-Tax States (2026)
Official 2026 rates for IL, NC, PA, GA, MI, AZ and more, plus what $75k of profit costs.
Side Hustle Taxes with a W-2 Job (2026)
How side income stacks on a salary, a 2026 table by salary, and the W-4 shortcut.
2026 Estimated Tax Due Dates
Apr 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, and Jan 15 2027: what each payment covers and how to pay.
Estimated Tax Safe Harbor (100% / 110%)
How 90% / 100% / 110% works, with worked 2026 examples and the traps to avoid.
1099-NEC & 1099-K Thresholds in 2026
The $2,000 1099-NEC and $20,000/200 1099-K rules, and why all income is still taxable.
QBI Deduction for Freelancers (2026)
The 20% deduction most sole proprietors can take, 2026 thresholds, and a worked example.
2026 Tax Brackets for the Self-Employed
The official 2026 brackets and standard deductions, plus how SE tax stacks on top.
Gig Worker Taxes: How Much to Save
Why mileage matters most, a worked 2026 example, and a simple per-payout savings rule.
1099 Taxes in No-Income-Tax States (TX, FL…)
What TX, FL, WA, NV, TN and other no-income-tax state freelancers still owe, with examples.
W-2 to 1099: Converting Salary to a Rate
Why a contract rate needs to be ~1.7–2× your W-2 hourly wage, with a conversion table.
How Much Tax Do You Pay on 1099 Income?
A 2026 table from $30k to $200k of profit, single and married, with the math explained.
How Much to Charge as a Freelancer
Build a rate from take-home goals, billable hours, and a tax/expense cushion.
1099 vs W-2 Take-Home Pay
Why identical-looking offers can leave different amounts in your account.
Quarterly Estimated Taxes for Freelancers
What estimated taxes are for and how people commonly plan cash flow.
Estimated Tax Penalties for Freelancers
What can trigger an underpayment penalty, safe-harbor concepts, and uneven-income planning.
Quarterly Taxes in Your First Year
Beginner estimated-tax planning for new freelancers and first-year 1099 income.
Freelance Expense Categories
A plain-English tour of common deductible categories freelancers track.
Mileage Deduction for Freelancers
Business vs commuting miles, 2026 rates, vehicle methods, and useful records.
Setting Aside Taxes from Each Invoice
Simple habits to avoid April (and quarterly) surprises.
Billable Hours vs Available Hours
Why your calendar is not the same as your invoiceable time.
Side Hustle vs Full-Time Freelance
Money and risk differences when freelancing stays part-time or goes full-time.
First-Year Freelancer Money Checklist
Banking, tracking, taxes, rates, and buffers for year one.
Self-Employment Tax Explained
Why freelancers cover Social Security and Medicare differently than W-2 employees.
How to Save for Taxes as a Freelancer
Systems to fund estimates from each payment without spring panic.
Freelance Rate Raise Scripts
Calm example language for retainers, projects, and scope creep.
When to Quit Your Job for Freelance
Money and runway checkpoints before leaving a W-2 role.
Contractor vs Employee IRS Basics
Plain-English classification ideas that affect withholding and taxes.
Best Ways to Track Freelance Income
Spreadsheet, software, and hybrid methods you can maintain.
How Much to Set Aside for Taxes (%)
Practical percentage ranges and how to refine them with profit math.
Day Rate to Salary Equivalent
Convert day rates without the 260-day fantasy math.
How to Calculate Self-Employment Tax
Educational walkthrough from net earnings to a planning estimate and set-aside habit.
Freelance Rate vs Salary: Real Cost
All-in employment vs freelance costs — taxes, benefits, PTO, and utilization.
Retainer vs Project Pricing
When recurring retainers or fixed-fee projects fit — and how to protect your floor rate.
How Many Billable Hours Per Year
Utilization math so rate formulas stop assuming 2,080 hours.
Freelance vs LLC Taxes
High-level educational differences between sole-prop freelancing and common LLC setups.
Late Invoices: Getting Clients to Pay
Deposits, reminder cadence, and when to pause work — practical receivables habits.
Home Office Deduction for Freelancers
Exclusive-use basics, simplified vs regular method, and how it ties to rate planning.
SEP IRA vs Solo 401(k) for Freelancers
Educational basics on contribution style, flexibility, cash flow, and plan questions.
How to Pay Yourself as a Freelancer
Owner draws, tax-first transfers, and a sustainable personal paycheck habit.
Health Insurance Costs When Leaving W-2
Coverage cost shocks after employer benefits end — and how to bake premiums into your rate.
2027 Tax Brackets for the Self-Employed (Projections)
2027 projections vs. official 2026 brackets, standard deductions, and the separate SE-tax bill.
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