#self-employment
Self-Employment
Learn about self-employment taxes, LLC owner compensation, and freelancer financial management
Finland's 2026 VAT Threshold: Why €20,000 Is Now All-or-Nothing for Freelancers
Finland's 2025 VAT reform raised the small-business exemption to €20,000 but eliminated the sliding-scale relief that used to soften the jump to full VAT liability at €30,000, so crossing €20,000 now means owing VAT on 100% of turnover with no phase-in.
Bookkeeping for Hotshot Trucking: Cash Flow, IFTA, and Tax Deductions Explained
Hotshot trucking operators need a chart of accounts that separates fuel, MC-authority insurance, factoring fees, and IFTA liability from generic vehicle expenses, since brokers often pay 15-45 days after delivery while fuel and insurance are due immediately.
Marine Surveyor Bookkeeping: Certification Dues Are Overhead, Not Startup Costs
Marine surveyors often file NAMS or SAMS certification dues and continuing education costs as startup expenses, but the IRS treats recurring dues, CE tuition, and E&O insurance premiums as ordinary business expenses deductible in the year paid, not amortized over 180 months.
Real Estate Commission Splits and Desk Fees: A Bookkeeping Guide for Agents
Real estate agents should record gross commission and brokerage splits as separate line items, not just the net deposit, because the IRS matches Schedule C income against the gross figure brokerages report on Form 1099-NEC.
Translation and Medical Transcription Bookkeeping: Per-Word Billing, 1099 Risk, and HIPAA Recordkeeping
How translation agencies and medical transcription services can cost freelance linguist payables against per-word client billing, avoid 1099 vs. W-2 misclassification risk, and meet HIPAA business associate recordkeeping requirements.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: What UK Sole Traders and Landlords Must Do Before April 2026
Starting April 2026, UK sole traders and landlords with combined gross income over £50,000 must file quarterly digital updates to HMRC instead of one annual Self Assessment return, with penalty-free late filing only in the first year.
IRS Direct File Is Gone for 2026: Free Tax Filing Alternatives for Freelancers and the Self-Employed
IRS Direct File will not return for the 2026 filing season; IRS Free File, FreeTaxUSA, Cash App Taxes, VITA, and MilTax remain free options, but only some fully support Schedule C for freelancers and small business owners.
Locum Tenens Taxes and Bookkeeping: A Complete Guide for 1099 Clinicians
Locum tenens and travel-healthcare clinicians are 1099 contractors who owe 15.3% self-employment tax, must establish a valid IRS tax home to deduct travel costs, and often file non-resident state returns for every state where they worked.
Brazil's MEI Revenue Ceiling: The Frozen R$81,000 Cap and the 2026 Push to Raise It
Brazil's MEI revenue cap of R$81,000 a year has been frozen since 2018. A bill sent to Congress in June 2026 would raise it to R$110,000 in 2027 and R$140,000 in 2028, and let microentrepreneurs hire two employees instead of one — a case study in how frozen tax thresholds quietly penalize small business growth.
IRS 2026 Standard Mileage Rate: 72.5 Cents vs. the Actual Expense Method
The IRS standard mileage rate rises to 72.5 cents per mile for 2026. Here's how it compares with the actual expense method, why your first-year choice can be irreversible, and what a mileage log needs to survive an IRS audit under Section 274(d).
Wedding Officiant Bookkeeping: Ordination Rules, Self-Employment Taxes, and Deposit Accounting
Online ordination doesn't make you IRS clergy — officiant fees are ordinary Schedule C income subject to 15.3% self-employment tax. This guide covers where online ordinations face county-level recognition problems (Tennessee, Virginia), what celebrants actually charge ($300–$1,000+), and why booking deposits belong on your books as liabilities until the ceremony happens.
Bookkeeping for Adult Content Creators: 1099s, Platform Fees, and Chargebacks
Subscription platforms report gross earnings on Form 1099-NEC even though they keep roughly 20% as a platform fee, and adult content businesses see chargeback rates of 3-5% — well above the 1% threshold that triggers card network monitoring — making separate bookkeeping for fees, taxes, and disputes essential from day one.