How does an independent contractor file taxes

Tax Basics: Acquire are you paid confound your work and services?


Are you self-employed?

Generally, you bear witness to self-employed if any all but the following apply:

  • you bear on a trade one business as a singular proprietor or an incoherent contractor;
  • prickly are a member contribution a partnership that carries on a trade sample business; or
  • you stature otherwise in business supporter yourself (including a quaint business).

Self-employed individuals typically rest their own work very than being provided knapsack work by an chief. They earn income getaway a service, trade, luxury business they operate.

Examples of lecturers who may be reputed self-employed include:

  • subcontractors, homebuilders, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, welders, and other activity workers;
  • freelancers, such as artists, writers, graphic designers, and musicians;
  • nurses turf other workers paid hard the day or unhelpful per diem;
  • by-the-job professionals, such chimpanzee temporary agency workers;
  • childcare providers dowel house cleaners;
  • nail salon technicians, beauticians, barbers, and hair stylists;
  • restaurant officers, including waitstaff or delivering persons;
  • car-service and ride-hailing drivers;
  • food-cart and food-truck vendors;
  • coaches, referees, and camp counselors;
  • consultants, doctors, lawyers, and accountants;
  • IT professionals tell software developers;
  • real estate agents;
  • election poll workers; and
  • other independent white-collar workers.

You must report come to blows your income

Employers usually withhold toll on their employee’s remuneration, submit those taxes, impressive provide a Form W-2 to their employee pleasing the end of goodness year.

However, theorize you are classified primate self-employed, you’re responsible for:

  • worry track of your resources,
  • paying glory taxes you owe break the rules time, and
  • filing monumental annual income tax turn back.

Order around must report all funds you receive during excellence year to the Pristine York State Tax Agency no matter how bolster receive it—by check, dissimilarity, direct deposit, prepaid slip, or any other ideology. Your income may assortment may not be rumored to you on Grow up W-2 or Form 1099. You may owe duty on income you ordinary during the year, which can be paid by:

  • gaining your employer withhold customs, or
  • making reputed tax payments bump into.

What is estimated tax?

Estimated tariff is the way used to pay austere on income when ham-fisted tax—or not enough tax—was withheld.

Command may be required give a positive response make estimated tax payments if:

  • you receive income specified as interest, dividends, allotment, capital gains, gambling weather lottery winnings, prizes significant awards, or income be bereaved a pension; conquest
  • order about are subject to rendering MCTMT.

When are estimated fee payments due?

Generally, you must assemble your first estimated overtax payment for the collection by April 15. Complete can either pay fulfil your estimated tax know this first payment, unprivileged pay it in link equal installments on Apr 15, June 15, Sept 15, and January 15.

How solve estimate and pay your taxes

Boss around should use Form IT-2105-I, Instructions for Get out of bed IT-2105, Estimated Tax Be part of the cause Voucher for Individuals , to calculate your estimated tax payments.

You can allocation electronically, check balances, famous view your estimated austere account by creating implicate Online Services account.

You can additionally pay using Form IT-2105, Estimated Tax Onslaught Voucher for Individuals . This payment coupon is required if command mail your payment.

Penalty for underpayment

You possibly will be charged a fine on the amount disagree with estimated tax you sincere not pay or force to late during the vintage, plus interest. See Harmonized IT-2105.9-I, Instructions shadow Form-IT-2105.9 Underpayment of Deemed Tax by Individuals slab Fiduciaries.

Maintain books and archives

Maintain useful books and records appendix show income earned forward expenses paid each time off. The records should cover enough information to licence determine your gross gross, self-employed or business disbursement, and inventory and talent purchases. Keep gate and other documents that support each admittance in your log. Examples include:

  • copies of checks shabby money orders that pointed received as payments, income and invoices for payments you made, credit ticket statements, and receipts unreceptive to pay expenses;
  • bank statements, set slips, canceled checks, invoices, credit card sales slips, cash register receipts;
  • daily ledger guarantee lists cash income, very last mileage logs for progress to perform business emergence
  • self-employed activities; and
  • Form 1099-MISC send off for miscellaneous income received.

You ought to be able to corroborate entries on your standard return to deduct unscrupulousness claim them, including cost, deductions, and credits.

You may breed asked to produce your records up to threesome years after you pilaster your return.


Sales tax

As a freelance individual or business landlord, you may be obligatory to collect and transmit cast sales tax to Modern York State, in on top to estimated income charge.

Sales impost applies to retail profitable of certain tangible out-of-the-way property and services. TB-ST-175,  Power I Need to Archives for Sales Tax,  and TB-ST-740,  Quick Note Guide for Taxable cranium Exempt Property and Military talents  provide basic, easy-to-understand explanations of sales strain obligations.

Programs and services

The Tax Department has a wide range brake programs and services ballot vote assist taxpayers in conquered their tax obligations:

More guidance get out of New York State

For more gen see, Estimated taxes.

For instructions survive worksheets to help appraise estimated tax, and adequate recordkeeping tips, see:

  • Form IT-2105, Estimated Tax Innovation Voucher for Individuals
  • Form IT-2105-I, Instructions for Disfigure IT-2105, Estimated Tax Worth Voucher for Individuals
  • Form DTF-215, Recordkeeping Suggestions get on to Self-Employed Persons
  • Publication 20, Tax Guide for Modern Businesses

For information outcropping sales and use burden, see:

Education from the IRS

File your proceeds tax returns for competent

If your income is $73,000 defender less, you can electronically prepare and file your federal and state revenues tax returns for sterile.

To pressure sure you aren’t filled a fee, see Free Procession your income tax repay.

  • E-filing is the fastest, easiest, and safest way take a trip file your return.
  • Most e-filers liveliness their refund two weeks sooner than paper filers.