This post is part of a 9-part series called “Turn Your Side Hustle Into a Tax-Saving Business.”
In this series, you'll learn how to legally lower your taxes, take advantage of IRS rules, and treat your side hustle like a real business.
What Is Self-Employment Tax?
If you’ve started a business or side hustle, you're responsible for self-employment tax. It’s not a penalty — it’s just how business owners pay into Social Security and Medicare, like employees do.
The difference? You pay the full amount yourself.
The Breakdown
When you work a regular job, your employer pays half of your Social Security and Medicare taxes, and the other half is taken out of your paycheck.
When you're self-employed, you pay both halves.
Here’s what that looks like:
| Tax Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 12.4% |
| Medicare | 2.9% |
| Total | 15.3% on your net income |
That 15.3% is the self-employment tax — on top of your income tax.
How Is It Calculated?
You pay self-employment tax on your net business income, which is:
Total income – deductible business expenses
So, the better you track and claim your deductions (see "What You Can Deduct as a Business (IRS Section 162)"), the lower your net income — and the less self-employment tax you owe.
Example:
Let’s say:
You made $50,000 from your freelance design work
You deducted $10,000 in business expenses
Your net income is $40,000
Your self-employment tax = $40,000 × 15.3% = $6,120
Good News: You Can Deduct Half of It
Yes — you can deduct half of your self-employment tax when figuring your income taxes.
In the example above:
You paid $6,120 in self-employment tax
You can deduct $3,060 as an adjustment on your tax return
This reduces the income the IRS taxes you on — which saves you more money.
Smart Ways to Reduce Self-Employment Tax
Claim every legitimate deduction
(See "What You Can Deduct as a Business (IRS Section 162)" on what counts)Use the home office deduction
(Covered in "Claiming Your Home Office (Section 280A)")Hire your kids
(Covered in "Hiring Your Kids — A Family-Friendly Tax Strategy" — wages to children under 18 aren’t subject to self-employment tax if you’re a sole prop or LLC)Consider S Corp status
Once you’re making steady income, you might benefit from electing S-corp status and paying yourself a reasonable salary — more on this in a future bonus post
What About Estimated Taxes?
If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in self-employment and income taxes, the IRS wants you to pay in quarterly using estimated payments.
The deadlines:
April 15
June 15
September 15
January 15 (of the following year)
Staying on top of these helps you avoid penalties — and surprise tax bills.
Final Thoughts
Self-employment tax is a normal part of running your own business — but it doesn’t have to be a burden. With smart planning, good recordkeeping, and the right deductions, you can reduce what you owe and keep more of what you earn.
Want to save even more?
Next, we’ll talk about how to use retirement plans to lower your taxes and build your future at the same time.
👉 Read -- Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed