Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Working Poor

In reply to the discussion: I used to be 'working poor' [View all]
 

Travis_0004

(5,417 posts)
3. I agree with everything but the last part
Sun Dec 6, 2015, 11:51 AM
Dec 2015
Just a thought; if you're already collecting on your social security and your only income is from 1099 wages, I believe any additional wages you earn will never increase the amount of social security you receive. If that's the case and your client is willing, forming a private corp and taking your earnings as business profits rather than wages will save you the 15.3%. All that could change based on state and local tax laws. YMMV so check with a tax pro.

Not quite. Social security is paid based on your highest 35 years of employement. If you are retired and workking, and you earn enough to change the calculation, the will recalculate your benefit amount. They then pay the increase retroactive to January the year after you earned the money.

So you pay your taxes in April 2016, but were receiving social security checks for Jan, Feb, March and April before you paid your taxes. Since social security underpaid you in 2016 (since they did not yet know your 2015 earnings, you will get a small bonus check.


Also, forming a private corp, and taking your earnings all as business profits instead of wages is very illegal, on a federal level, and I can't imagine it being legal on a state level. Depending on what you do, some of your money can be marked as a return on investment (I'm thinking S corp), which does not pay OASDI taxes. (OASDI is just short for social security)

Example. I work as an accountant for a small business that am one of the owners. We could pay an accountant 20.00 an hour to do my job. Since I do it myself, I clock in (for tax purposes.). If I work 20 hours, I should be paid 400 dollars, but since I own the company and get a share of the profits, I get 600 dollars. 400 is reported as wages, 200 is reported as a return on investment, to avoid OASDI taxes. This is legal, but the problem is you don't want to underpay yourself. If I tried to claim that an accountant would work for 10.00 an hour, I could get in trouble with the IRS. All this is done on my taxes, the company doesn't need to know or care how you do this math, but generally you should have an investment with the company to do this. If you were hired for a job as a 1099, without some sort of investment yourself, and they pay is 15.00 an hour, one would assume the market rate for that position is 15.00 an hour. You can't claim its 10.00 and put 5.00 an hour to a return on investment,

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I used to be 'working poor' [View all] left-of-center2012 Dec 2015 OP
I'm still poor, but just started working again as a 1099 type, not an employee. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #1
FYI discntnt_irny_srcsm Dec 2015 #2
I agree with everything but the last part Travis_0004 Dec 2015 #3
Thanks, I defer to professional advice discntnt_irny_srcsm Dec 2015 #5
I'm not the retired one here, so no, I'm not collecting SS yet. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #6
Aside from the SS and medicare... discntnt_irny_srcsm Dec 2015 #7
That was the part I wasn't sure about. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #8
I really don't want to give you bad advice discntnt_irny_srcsm Dec 2015 #10
You've actually been very good help. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #11
You're welcome discntnt_irny_srcsm Dec 2015 #12
Welcome to the group Melurkyoulongtime Dec 2015 #4
welcome to the group w0nderer Dec 2015 #9
Thanks for the welcome left-of-center2012 Dec 2015 #13
Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»Working Poor»I used to be 'working poo...»Reply #3