4 Overlooked Tax Breaks for the Self-Employed
Don't miss these deductions if you work for yourself.
Have you recently gone into business for yourself? Check out these ways to make tax law work for you.
1. Home-Office Deductions
The key to this deduction is to use part of your home or apartment regularly and exclusively for your money-making endeavor.
2. Health Insurance Premiums
You can deduct what you pay for medical insurance for yourself and your family whether or not you itemize.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
3. Social Security Taxes You Pay
If you’re self-employed and have to pay the full 15.3% tax yourself, you get to write off half of what you pay.
4. Retirement Tax Shelters
Once you start working for yourself, the door opens wide to tax-sheltered retirement plans.
Learn about more overlooked tax breaks for the self-employed.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

-
Quiz: How Well Do You Know Delaware Statutory Trusts?Quiz Real estate investing pro Daniel Goodwin recently wrote about Delaware statutory trusts for Adviser Intel. Find out if you understand how DSTs work.
-
S&P 500 Snaps Losing Streak Ahead of Nvidia Earnings: Stock Market TodayThe Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed higher for the first time in five days, while the Nasdaq Composite notched a win too.
-
3 Ways High-Income Earners Can Maximize Their Charitable Donations in 2025Tax Deductions New charitable giving tax rules will soon lower your deduction for donations to charity — here’s what you should do now.
-
An HSA Sounds Great for Taxes: Here’s Why It Might Not Be Right for YouHealth Savings Even with the promise of ‘triple tax benefits,’ a health savings account might not be the best health plan option for everyone.
-
10 Retirement Tax Plan Moves to Make Before December 31Retirement Taxes Proactively reviewing your health coverage, RMDs and IRAs can lower retirement taxes in 2025 and 2026. Here’s how.
-
The Original Property Tax Hack: Avoiding The ‘Window Tax’Property Taxes Here’s how homeowners can challenge their home assessment and potentially reduce their property taxes — with a little lesson from history.
-
Three Critical Tax Changes Could Boost Your Paycheck in 2026Tax Tips The IRS predicts these tax breaks may change take-home pay in 2026. Will you get over $1,000 in tax savings?
-
What’s the New 2026 Estate Tax Exemption Amount?Estate Tax The IRS just increased the exemption as we enter into a promising tax year for estates and inheritances.
-
IRS Updates 2026 Tax Deduction for People Age 65 and OlderTax Changes Adjustments to the extra standard deduction can impact the tax bills of millions of older adults. Here are some new amounts to know for 2026.
-
IRS Reveals New 2026 Child Tax Credit and other Family Credit AmountsTax Credits Key family tax breaks are higher for 2026, including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Adoption Credit. Here's what they're worth.