With the gig economy flourishing, more and more people are making the most of self-employment opportunities to earn extra money. There are many people who are making a leap into full-time self-employment. However, when you start working by yourself, you might have to pay self-employment tax, which is different from other taxes.
When you are employed by a company or an individual in a full or part-time job, your employer withholds taxes from your paycheck. As your employer, they are responsible for withholding taxes and then paying them to the government.
On the contrary, if you are a self-employed individual, your clients will not be responsible for withholding taxes on your behalf. It becomes solely your responsibility to withhold and pay taxes on the income you earned from self-employment.
Does Rhode Island Have a Self-Employment Tax?
Yes, Rhode Island has a self-employment tax. This depends on your income from the business during this financial year. The moment you get your self-employment income, it becomes tax-eligible.
What is the Self-Employment Tax in Rhode Island?
Self-employed workers in Rhode Island must file an annual tax return. As a self-employed person, you must pay taxes on the net profit you get from your business. This also consists of Social Security and Medicare taxes.
Social Security tax is a flat rate on net self-employment income up to an annual income ceiling. Medicare tax is a flat rate with no income ceiling. It includes an additional tax for those earning over a certain threshold.
What Does Self-Employment Tax in Rhode Island Consist of?
As a self-employed individual living in Rhode Island, you have to pay taxes on the income you generate from your business. Rhode Island only collects taxes in the form of Social Security and Medicare from self-employed individuals.
Who is Considered Liable to Pay Self-Employed Tax in Rhode Island?
There may be some confusion in the minds of many self-employed individuals or independent contractors if they are liable to pay self-employment taxes in Rhode Island. The IRS considers you to be self-employed if you:
- Carry on a trade or business as a sole proprietor or an independent contractor.
- Are a member of a partnership that carries on a trade or business.
- Are otherwise in business for yourself (including a part-time business or a gig worker).
For instance, if you are working as a freelance or independent interior designer, you fall under the category of self-employed for taxation purposes. Note that the same rules apply to skilled professionals such as lawyers, doctors, and tutors who are running a business for themselves and not working for a designated organization.
How Much is Self-Employment Tax Rate in Rhode Island?
The self-employment tax rate for 2022-2023 in Rhode Island is 15.3%. This rate is the sum of a 12.4% Social Security tax and a 2.9% Medicare tax on your net earnings from self-employment. Taxpayers who work for themselves must cover the entire 15.3% of these taxes in addition to paying the normal income tax rates.
What is the Minimum Income to File Self-Employment Tax in Rhode Island?
You have to pay self-employment tax in Rhode Island if you are in either of these categories during this financial year:
- If you had $400 or more in net earnings from self-employment.
- You are self-employed, according to the IRS, if you received a 1099 form during this period.
- If you had $108.28 or more in income from any form of church employment.
In case your income falls in any of the above examples, you must pay a fixed Rhode Island self-employment tax rate. If your net earning from self-employment is less than $400, you must file an income tax return. This is as per the filing requirement listed in Form 1040 and 1040-SR.
How to Calculate My Self-Employment Tax in Rhode Island?
There’s a simple formula that can help you easily calculate the self-employment tax you owe to the state of Rhode Island. Follow these steps:
- Calculate and confirm your net earnings from self-employment by deducting your business expenses from your gross income.
- Then, multiply the number of net earnings by 92.35%. This is the amount of your income that will go as self-employment tax.
- A third step will require you to multiply this number by the 15.3% tax rate to get the exact amount of taxes that you owe to the state of Rhode Island.
Here’s an example to show you how you can calculate the self-employment tax in Rhode Island:
Say you worked as a freelance developer in Rhode Island and earned a net income of $40,000 last year. If you multiply it by 92.35%, you get $36,940 as your taxable income for your self-employment taxes. Go ahead and multiply this taxable income by the tax rate of 15.3% and you get $5,652. This is the amount you will have to pay in self-employment tax to Rhode Island state.
What are the Tax Deductions for the Self-Employed in Rhode Island?
As a self-employed person, you should take maximum advantage of all the deductions available to lower your tax bill and maximize your income tax return this year.
A majority of self-employed people and independent contractors claim deductions as home office expenses or travel costs and sometimes health insurance premiums.
To know more, here are some common tax deductions that freelancers, contractors, and other self-employed people can claim while working in Rhode Island:
- If you work from home or use part of your home for your business, you may be eligible for home office deductions.
- If you’ve purchased medical insurance policies for yourself, there’s a possibility of qualifying for a deduction on the premiums.
- You can also make deductions for “qualifying work-related education” expenses, such as tuition, books, and related costs.
- Any contributions you made to a solo or one-participant 401(k) plan, up to $61,000 in 2022, are tax-deductible.
- Any interest you accrue on purchases that were business expenses can be considered as potential self-employment tax deductions.
- If you are self-employed, you have the option to deduct part or all of your annual cell phone or internet bills.
- Expenses for travel and food, incurred while traveling for business in your car, flight, or by other means, count as tax deductions.
When to Pay Self-Employment Taxes in Rhode Island?
No matter how busy you are while working as a self-employed individual, you must comply with the following schedule to make quarterly tax payments on your income. It applies to both the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board of Rhode Island.
- 1st quarter (January 1 – Mar 31, 2023) payment is due on April 18, 2023.
- 2nd quarter (April 1 – May 31) payment is due on June 15, 2023.
- 3rd quarter (June 1 – August 31) payment is due on September 15, 2023.
- 4th quarter (September 1 – December 31) payment is due on January 17, 2024.
How to File Self-Employment Tax in Rhode Island?
While filing your self-employment taxes, you can use Schedule SE or Form 1040 to determine the tax due on net earnings from your business. The Social Security Administration also uses the information from Schedule SE to determine the benefits under the Social Security program.
To determine the net taxable income while filing the return, you’ll need to provide your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
If you have never had an SSN, you can apply for one using Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card. You can download the form from the Social Security Number and Card website or your nearest Social Security office. To apply for an ITIN, file Form W-7.
What Forms Do I Need to File Rhode Island State Self-Employed Income Tax?
The IRS Form 1040 Schedule C is required for reporting net earnings from your business. In addition, you will have to fill out the IRS Form 1040 Schedule SE to calculate your self-employment taxes. Self-employed people can prepay their estimated taxes quarterly using Form 1040-ES vouchers.
What Happens if I Don’t Pay Rhode Island Self-Employment Taxes on Time?
If you don’t make your tax payments on time, you might be charged a penalty. This includes both state and federal fines. At the same time, interest can be levied on every missed or late payment.
What is the Penalty Charged?
If you don’t pay your self-employment tax for Rhode Island on time, you may incur a penalty based on the percentage you owe.
- Failure to file taxes results in a penalty: The penalty is usually 5% of the tax left unpaid for each month (or part of a month) that the return is late. The IRS has set a maximum penalty of 25% (up to 5 months) of the outstanding balance. If your return is more than 60 days overdue, a minimum penalty applies. Remember, tax returns this year are due on April 18, 2023. If you need some additional time, you can request an extension until October 15. Failing to request an extension or missing the extended due date can result in a failure to file penalty imposed by the IRS.
- Penalty for failure to pay: If you do not pay your taxes by the deadline, the IRS will impose a failure to pay penalty. This penalty amounts to 0.5% of the tax owed per month, up to a maximum limit of 25% of the total tax due. To avoid any penalties, make sure to pay your taxes on time.
Conclusion
With tax day approaching, you should start the process of filing your self-employment tax quickly. Make sure you review all your information with accuracy. Ensure you file your taxes on time. When it comes to the basics of self-employed tax, ensure you are organizing your business and comprehending the various tax implications. We cannot emphasize enough the significance of understanding the deductions you can claim while filing self-employment taxes in Rhode Island. By itemizing your deductions, you can lower your taxable income and ultimately reduce your payment amount.
File your federal and state taxes online with Beem. You can claim all the tax credits and deductions you are eligible for and file all forms, combinations, and filing statuses, including multi-state filing. You can also try Beem’s free Tax Calculator for a 100% accurate federal and state tax estimate.
