Tax deductions by occupation in the US
What the work costs is much the same wherever you do it. How you claim it is not — so each guide below pairs the spending with the rules that apply in the US. You report through Schedule C with your Form 1040, plus quarterly estimated tax.
Income tax in the US
There is no tax-free threshold the way other countries have one — instead the standard deduction reduces taxable income. Self-employment also brings self-employment tax of 15.3% covering Social Security and Medicare, which is separate from income tax and catches most first-year filers out.
Sales Tax in the US
- Rate
- No national rate (state 0–~10%)
- Registration
- Varies by state (economic nexus)
- Returns
- Varies by state
- Authority
- the IRS
This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the IRS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
How the US treats the big three
Vehicle and travel
Business driving is claimed with either the IRS standard mileage rate or actual expenses. The IRS sets that rate and has changed it mid-year, so check the current figure for the months you are claiming before you file.
Home workspace
The home-office deduction has a simplified method of $5 per square foot up to 300 square feet, or you can use actual expenses. The space generally has to be used regularly and exclusively for the business.
Equipment and higher-cost gear
Equipment can often be expensed immediately under Section 179 or bonus depreciation rather than written off over years, subject to the usual limits.
Worth knowing in the US
Tax is pay-as-you-go. If you expect to owe, you generally make quarterly estimated payments with Form 1040-ES — waiting until April can mean an underpayment penalty on top of the bill.
Guides for the US
Content creators & influencers
As a content creator you can generally claim the gear, software, phone and internet you use to make content — and the part most people miss is that gifted products and platform tips count as income you must declare.
What you can claim in US →Streamers & gamers
As a streamer you can generally claim the PC, peripherals and capture gear you stream with, plus the work share of your internet — and subs, bits, donations and tournament winnings from a business activity are income you declare.
What you can claim in US →Online sellers & resellers
If you sell online you can generally claim the cost of your stock, platform and payment fees, packaging and postage — and the point where a hobby becomes a business is what decides whether you declare the income at all.
What you can claim in US →Designers & digital freelancers
As a designer you can generally claim your software subscriptions, the hardware you work on, portfolio and website costs, and the materials that go into the work.
What you can claim in US →Performing artists & musicians
As a performing artist you can generally claim your instruments and equipment, coaching and lessons that maintain your craft, agent commission, and travel to auditions and performances.
What you can claim in US →Australia has the full set — all 26 occupation guides.
Self-employed tax in the US — common questions
Do I have to pay quarterly estimated taxes?
Generally yes if you expect to owe tax when you file. Estimated payments cover both income tax and self-employment tax across the year, and skipping them can trigger an underpayment penalty even if you pay in full at filing time. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the IRS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
What is self-employment tax and why is it extra?
It is the 15.3% that covers Social Security and Medicare. An employee splits that with their employer; when you work for yourself you cover both halves, which is why a freelance dollar is taxed differently from an employed one. Part of it is deductible against income tax. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the IRS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
Is there sales tax on what I sell?
There is no national sales tax — it is set state by state, and whether you must collect it depends on that state’s rules and economic nexus thresholds. Selling into several states can mean obligations in several states. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the IRS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
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