The S-Corp threshold, honestly
Not at $30K. Usually not at $40K. Where the payroll cost starts being worth it.
Client wires land whole, which feels great right up until April. Freelancers who set their business up correctly keep meaningfully more of every invoice — same clients, same work.
Get started — from $19/mo No credit card required · Cancel anytimeMarketplace fees, software, insurance, and your own unpaid admin hours sit between what you billed and what you keep. Then self-employment tax takes its cut of the remainder. Structure is the only lever that moves that last part.
Every dollar arrives untaxed and stays that way until you do something about it. That's an opportunity if you plan, and a problem if you don't.
Most freelancers deduct the obvious three and miss the other ten. Retirement contributions in particular are a deduction and a savings vehicle at the same time.
Regular, exclusive business use — by square footage or simplified method.
The entire SaaS stack, from design tools to invoicing to project management.
Upwork, Fiverr, and processor fees taken before payout are still deductible.
Courses, certifications, books, and conferences tied to your work.
General liability, professional liability, and cyber coverage.
Entity formation, contract review, and yes, this.
Desk memberships, client travel, and business meals at 50%.
A Solo 401(k) or SEP-IRA can shelter a large share of net profit.
The rules changed for 2026. The 1099-NEC threshold moved from $600 to $2,000, and the 1099-K threshold went back to $20,000 and more than 200 transactions.
Marketplaces report gross. If Upwork bills your client $10,000 and deposits $9,000, your income is generally $10,000 with a $1,000 fee expense — not $9,000 with nothing to explain.
The rule that didn't move: all income is reportable whether or not a platform sends you a form. If your books are the only record, your books had better be right.
Here's what the year looks like when someone else holds the calendar.
Prepared by licensed CPAs and EAs who handle consultants & freelancers constantly — not a seasonal preparer meeting your situation for the first time.
Your return comes out of reconciled monthly records, so nothing is reconstructed from memory in March.
On the Professional plan, a CPA reviews the return before it is filed.
Included on the Professional plan, so a notice is a phone call rather than a crisis.
Tax Hotline access on every plan. Ask before you sign the deal, buy the equipment, or take the write-off.
Keeps your records clean and current so you always know where you stand.
Builds the year-round strategy that shrinks the bill through planning, not scrambling.
Files accurately and on time, claiming every deduction you have earned.
Keeps everything on track and nudges you when we need something.
These breakdowns get specific about how the work actually pays.
We handle the tax side of whatever they pay you.
Not at $30K. Usually not at $40K. Where the payroll cost starts being worth it.
A 20% deduction with real limits. Whether your work qualifies and what phases it out.
Upwork bills the client, keeps a fee, pays you the rest. Which number goes on your return.