1099 & self-employed
1099 & Self-Employed Tax Preparation in Tampa
I help Tampa Bay contractors, freelancers, sole proprietors, and gig workers report business income, organize eligible expenses, prepare Schedule C, and plan for self-employment and estimated taxes.
Who this is for
- Independent contractors and consultants
- Freelancers and creative professionals
- Gig-economy and delivery workers
- Home-service providers and tradespeople
- Online sellers and service providers
- New sole proprietors
- People with both W-2 and 1099 income
Common reasons people reach out
- Owing self-employment tax for the first time
- Income that arrived with no 1099 and no clear record
- Not knowing which expenses actually qualify
- Missed or guessed-at quarterly estimated payments
- Unsure whether an LLC or S-corporation would help
- A shoebox of receipts and no bookkeeping
What to gather
- Forms 1099-NEC, 1099-K, and other income statements
- Bank and payment-processor year-end summaries
- A record of income not reported on any 1099
- Expense records and receipts by category
- Mileage and business-travel logs
- Home-office square footage and total home size
- Equipment and asset purchases
- Health-insurance premium records
- Records of estimated-tax payments made
- Prior-year tax returns
How it works
- 1. Talk it through. Your work, your income sources, your expenses, and whether you have W-2 income or past-year issues.
- 2. Organize the numbers. Income reconciled against 1099s and deposits; expenses sorted into the right categories with the records that support them.
- 3. Prepare the return. Schedule C, self-employment tax, deductions like the home office and self-employed health insurance, and any W-2 income.
- 4. Plan ahead. A set-aside amount, a quarterly estimated-tax schedule, and an entity conversation if the numbers call for it.
I do not promise a particular refund or tax result. The goal is an accurate return and a plan you can follow.
Pricing
- $180 — current-year 1099 / self-employed return
- $80 / quarter — estimated-tax calculation and filing
- $280 — small business (LLC, sole prop, or corporation) return
Final pricing depends on complexity. See the full pricing page, or try the Set-Aside Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-employment tax?
- Self-employment tax covers Social Security and Medicare for people who work for themselves — 15.3% on net earnings up to the annual Social Security wage base, then 2.9% above it. You can deduct half of it against income. It is separate from, and on top of, income tax.
- Do I have to report income if no 1099 was issued?
- Yes. All business income is reportable whether or not a customer sent a 1099. The 1099 is a copy to the IRS, not the thing that creates the obligation.
- Which business expenses may qualify?
- Ordinary and necessary costs of the work — supplies, software, a business-use portion of a phone and vehicle, professional services, advertising, and more. Each has its own rules and recordkeeping requirements, which is what I review with you.
- How does the home-office deduction work?
- A space used regularly and exclusively for business can support a deduction, using either a simplified square-foot method or actual expenses allocated by area. Employees with only W-2 income generally cannot take it.
- When are quarterly estimated payments required?
- Generally when you expect to owe $1,000 or more after withholding and credits. Payments are due in April, June, September, and January. I calculate the amounts and can prepare the vouchers.
- Can someone have both W-2 and 1099 income?
- Yes, and it is common. Both go on the same return. Extra withholding from the W-2 job can be used to cover some or all of the tax on the 1099 income as an alternative to quarterly payments.
- Should a sole proprietor form an LLC or S corporation?
- It depends on profit level, state costs, and how much administrative work you want. An S-corporation can reduce self-employment tax once profit is high enough to justify payroll and the added filings. It is a planning conversation, not a default.
- What happens if estimated payments were missed?
- There may be an underpayment penalty, calculated by quarter. Filing on time and paying the balance stops it from growing. Going forward, a set-aside plan keeps it from recurring.
- How does the Set-Aside Calculator help?
- It turns your expected income, filing status, and expenses into a monthly amount to move into a separate account, so the quarterly payments and the April balance are already covered.
- What does a 1099 return cost?
- A current-year 1099 return is $180. Quarterly estimated-tax work is $80 per quarter. Prior-year returns are $180 each. Final pricing depends on complexity.
Service area
I work with self-employed clients across Tampa Bay, including Tampa, Riverview, Brandon, Valrico, and Seffner. The office is at 512 N Franklin St Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33602. Returns can be handled in person or remotely. Florida has no state income tax, so for most clients this is a federal return only.
Turn your 1099 income into an organized tax plan
Schedule a conversation with Ross.
Common questions
- How do I file taxes with 1099 income in Florida?1099 income is self-employment income, so you report it on a Schedule C attached to your Form 1040, deduct your eligible business expenses, and pay self-employment tax of 15.3% on the profit in addition to income tax. Florida has no state income tax, so most filers only have a federal return. Because nothing is withheld, you generally make quarterly estimated payments during the year.
- How do quarterly estimated taxes work?Quarterly estimated taxes are prepayments of income tax and self-employment tax on income that has no withholding, such as 1099 or business income. You generally must pay them if you expect to owe about $1,000 or more after withholding and credits. Payments are due roughly mid-April, mid-June, mid-September, and mid-January. You avoid an underpayment penalty if your total payments cover at least 90 percent of this year's tax or 100 percent of last year's tax (110 percent if your prior-year income was high). In Florida there is no state estimated payment because there is no state income tax.
- Can I have both W-2 and 1099 income on one tax return?Yes, and it is very common. Your W-2 wages and your 1099 self-employment income both go on one Form 1040. The wages are reported directly; the 1099 work goes on a Schedule C where you also deduct its expenses. Self-employment tax applies only to the net profit from the 1099 work, not the W-2 wages. The main thing to manage is that no tax is withheld from the 1099 income, so you either make quarterly estimated payments or increase the withholding on your W-2 job to cover it.
- How much should I set aside for taxes when I'm self-employed?For most self-employed people in Florida, setting aside 25 to 30 percent of net profit (income after business expenses) covers federal income tax plus self-employment tax. Lower earners may need closer to 15 to 20 percent; higher earners or those with large W-2 income alongside can need 35 percent or more. Florida has no state income tax, so there is nothing to set aside for that. The reliable way to do it is to move a fixed percentage of every payment into a separate account as you get paid.
More ways I can help
Individual & Business Tax1040, 1099 contractors, and small business filing.Specialized Tax ServicesMilitary, rental property, truckers & rideshare.Tax Planning & StrategyYear-round planning and savings strategy.Set-Aside CalculatorKnow exactly what to save for taxes.Uber & Rideshare Drivers1099 income, mileage, and prior-year returns.Unfiled & Prior-Year ReturnsCatch up missing years and IRS notices.