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September 11, 2024
Question

SE tax calculation - W2 until July, 1040-ES in Aug

  • September 11, 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 0 views

Hi all, 

 

I have a tax quandary for you. I was a W2 employee from Jan - July of this year and starting in August became self-employed. If my net wages from Jan-July was 50,000 and my estimated self-employment wages from Aug-Dec will be 20,000, what is my self-employment tax? 

I'm following the 1040-SE but really struggling to understand how to take into account that most of my income from 2024 was W2, not self-employed!

 

Thanks!

3 replies

Employee
September 11, 2024
Hal_Al
Employee
September 11, 2024

"Self Employment Tax" (SET) is how the self employed pay their social security and medicate tax.  SET is paid in addition to the income tax you pay on your net self employment profit. 

 

For purposes of quarterly estimated tax payments (Form 1040-ES), for your income range,  you can figure 15.3% for SET plus 12%  for income tax. 

Employee
September 11, 2024

"If my net wages from Jan-July was 50,000 and my estimated self-employment wages from Aug-Dec will be 20,000, what is my self-employment tax?"

 

In this case where the Social Security Wage Base is not reached:

SE tax = $20,000 * 0.9235 * 0.153 = $2,825.91

September 11, 2024

Ok right, that part makes sense to me! How do my standard deductions factor into that, then? 


September 12, 2024

Any chance you are using the CD/downloaded version of TurboTax?

 

If you are, in my opinion the easiest way to figure things out is to take your 2023 return and "Save As" to create a second file to make a 'mock' 2024 return with your estimated amounts.  You would enter your estimated 2024 W-2, your estimated 2024 business income and expenses and any other changes that could be pertinent (if you have children, you may want to edit their birthdate to make them one year older, to reflect 2024).

 

If you do that, you'll see your estimated 2024 results.  If it shows you owe money, divide that amount by 2 (for the two quarters from July to December) and that is what each Estimated Tax Payment should be.