Self-Employment Tax

[SLB23]

I am retired. Most of my income is now from dividends, interest, a pension, etc., (I am not yet collecting social security) but I did make just under $400 this year at a side gig as an independent contractor.  I understand that if you make $400 or more, you need to pay a 15.3% self-employment tax, on top of income tax. Would the 15.3% tax only be applied to any amount OVER $400, or would it then apply to the entire amount earned as an independent contractor? I will probably make more than $400 at this side gig next year so just planning ahead! Thanks

[marctu]

@SLB23 thank you for the question and congratulations on your “working retirement”.   So, Self-Employment tax applies to the entire net earnings, and not just the amount exceeding $400 of net earnings.  So you start from the first dollar of net earnings.  Though there is a wrinkle to the calculation of the $400 net earnings.  It is only 92.35% of the net earnings.

You can calculate it using the IRS form for planning purposes.   See:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sse.pdf

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