Publication 334 |
2001 Tax Year |
Self-Employment Tax
Self-employment tax (SE tax) is a social security and Medicare tax
primarily for individuals who work for themselves. It is similar to
the social security and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of most
wage earners.
If you earned income as a statutory employee, you do not pay SE tax
on that income.
Social security coverage.
Your payments of SE tax contribute to your coverage under the
social security system if you are covered. Social security coverage
provides you with retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor
benefits, and hospital insurance (Medicare) benefits. Social security
benefits are available to self-employed persons just as they are to
wage earners.
By not reporting all of your self-employment income, you could
cause your social security benefits to be lower when you retire.
How to become insured under social security.
You must be insured under the social security system before you
begin receiving social security benefits. You are insured if you have
the required number of credits (also called quarters of coverage),
discussed next.
Earning credits in 2001 and 2002.
For 2001, you received one credit, up to a maximum of four credits,
for each $830 ($870 for 2002) of income subject to social security.
Therefore, for 2001, if you had income (self-employment and wages) of
$3,320 that was subject to social security taxes, you received four
credits ($3,320 × $830).
For an explanation of the number of credits you must have to be
insured, and of the benefits available to you and your family under
the social security program, consult your nearest Social Security
Administration office.
Making false statements to get or to increase social security
benefits may subject you to penalties.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) time limit for
posting self-employment income.
Generally, the SSA will give you credit only for self-employment
income reported on a tax return filed within 3 years, 3 months, and 15
days after the tax year you earned the income. If you file your tax
return or report a change in your self-employment income after this
time limit, the SSA may change its records, but only to remove or
reduce the amount. The SSA will not change its records to increase
your self-employment income.
Who must pay self-employment tax.
You must pay SE tax and file Schedule SE if either of the following
applies.
- Your net earnings from self-employment (excluding church
employee income) were $400 or more.
- You had church employee income of $108.28 or more.
The SE tax rules apply even if you are fully insured under social
security or have started receiving benefits.
Methods for figuring net earnings.
There are three ways to figure net earnings from self-employment.
- The regular method
- The nonfarm optional method
- The farm optional method
You must use the regular method unless you are eligible to use one
or both of the optional methods. Multiply your total earnings subject
to SE tax by 92.35% (.9235) to get your net earnings under the regular
method.
Why use the optional methods?
You use the optional methods when you have a loss or a small net
profit and any one of the following applies.
- You want to receive credit for social security benefit
coverage.
- You incurred child or dependent care expenses for which you
could claim a credit. (An optional method may increase your earned
income, which could increase your credit.)
- You are entitled to the earned income credit. (An optional
method may increase your earned income, which could increase your
credit.)
SE tax rate.
The SE tax rate on net earnings is 15.3% (12.4% social security tax
plus 2.9% Medicare tax).
Maximum earnings subject to SE tax.
Only the first $80,400 of your combined wages, tips, and net
earnings in 2001 is subject to any combination of the 12.4% social
security part of SE tax, social security tax, or railroad retirement
(tier 1) tax.
All your combined wages, tips, and net earnings in 2001 are subject
to any combination of the 2.9% Medicare part of SE tax, social
security tax, or railroad retirement (tier 1) tax.
If your wages and tips are subject to either social security or
railroad retirement (tier 1) tax, or both, and total at least $80,400,
do not pay the 12.4% social security part of the SE tax on any of your
net earnings. However, you must pay the 2.9% Medicare part
of the SE tax on all your net earnings.
Deduct one-half of your SE tax as an adjustment to income on line
27 of Form 1040.
More information.
For more information on the SE tax, see Publication 533,
Self-Employment Tax.
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