Question

Mr. and Mrs. B file a joint income tax return. Mr. B owns and operates a grocery store that had a net income of $15,000 in 2020. Mrs. B is a self-employed physical therapist, and her net income was $42,900. What is the total amount of self-employment tax Mr. and Mrs. B must report on their joint return for 2020

Answer 1

total self-employment tax = ($15,000 + $42,900) x 15.3% = $8,858.70

half of the self-employment taxes (SECA taxes) paid are deductible from your adjusted gross income, i.e. you must pay your SECA taxes, but 50% of what you pay is tax deductible because they are considered the employer's part of your taxes.