Self Employment Tax Lawyers in Gloucester
In Gloucester, Massachusetts, some taxes are enforced on employees, and deducted from their paychecks. Most people are cognizant of the Medicare and Social Security taxes - which fund those two programs by taking a small percentage of every paycheck an employee receives.
It's imperativel to be aware of one fact: if you're self-employed, you still have to pay these taxes. And it's your responsibility (or the responsibility of someone you hire for this purpose) to figure out precisely how much you owe.
Normally, the employer makes all the necessary calculations and deductions from a person's paycheck. If you are self-employed, however, you are required to make this determination, and to ensure that it's accurate.
Self-Employment tax obligations in Gloucester, Massachusetts
If you are an independent contractor, or run a sole proprietorship (a company which you own, and which is not incorporated as a separate legal entity), you must pay the so-called "self-employment tax" if your income from self-employment is higher than $400 per year.
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 $100 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 a self-employed business owner in Gloucester, Massachusetts, you are liable for both the employee and employer contributions to Medicare and Social Security. This essentially doubles your self-employment tax rate.
The total self-employment tax (note that this is totally distinct from the income tax) is set at 15.3%, if your income from self-employment in Gloucester, Massachusetts exceeds $400. But, 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 further 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 Gloucester, Massachusetts Tax Attorney Help?
If you are self-employed in Gloucester, it's imperative that you keep good records of your income and expenses, because a tax attorney will only be able to advise you to the extent that you help yourself.
With all that said, if you are having difficulty deciding just how much money you owe in Medicare and Social Security taxes from self-employment in Gloucester, Massachusetts, 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.