Gig workers on this platform pay 15.3% self-employment tax on net earnings. On $35,000 net income: approximately $4,950 SE tax + $2,800 federal = $7,750 total tax. Quarterly payment: $1,938. Set aside 25% of every payment and track mileage at 72.5¢/mile.
Freelance developers and contractors can deduct home office, hardware, SaaS subscriptions, cloud hosting, and professional development. Most software engineers save $4,000–$12,000/year with proper tracking.
| Expense | Amount / Rate | Deductible? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook / laptop | Full cost | ✅ Yes | Section 179 — full deduction year 1 |
| AWS / cloud hosting | Full cost | ✅ Yes | SaaS business expense |
| Home office | Up to $1,500 | ✅ Yes | Exclusive-use rule applies |
| Internet bill | 50–90% | ✅ Yes | Business-use percentage |
| Personal Netflix / Spotify | $0 | ❌ No | Entertainment — not deductible |
| Gaming PC (personal use) | $0 | ❌ No | Must be business use only |
| Commuting costs | $0 | ❌ No | No commute if home office |
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