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All Taxes Guides Quarterly Estimated Taxes Guide Tax Deduction Checklist How Much to Save for Taxes

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Built for the self-employed

Run your finances like the business they already are.

Free Agent Finance is the personal finance guide for freelancers and self-employed professionals in the US — quarterly taxes, business banking, health insurance, and retirement, explained without the corporate-employee assumptions baked into everyone else's advice.

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Quarterly taxes due Sept 15 Estimate yours in under 2 minutes →
Fact-checked against IRS.gov Sourced from SBA.gov Cross-checked with Healthcare.gov Updated for the 2026 tax year Written for 1099 & LLC income Fact-checked against IRS.gov Sourced from SBA.gov Cross-checked with Healthcare.gov Updated for the 2026 tax year Written for 1099 & LLC income

Why freelancers read us

Finance advice that assumes you're the boss

Every guide is written around variable income, self-paid taxes, and the absence of an HR department — not retrofitted from advice meant for salaried employees.

Built for irregular income

Budgets, savings targets, and tax math that work when your paycheck changes every month.

Plain-English, not jargon

No acronym soup. We define every term the first time it shows up, then get straight to what to do.

Free interactive calculators

Estimate self-employment tax, quarterly payments, and more — no signup, no paywall.

Sourced, not guessed

Figures are checked against the IRS, SBA, and Healthcare.gov, with a "last reviewed" date on every guide.

Explore by topic

Twelve categories. One financial life.

Start wherever your question is — every hub links to the guides, tools, and reviews underneath it.

Taxes

Quarterly payments, deductions, and forms — demystified.

3 guides

Business Structure

Sole prop, LLC, or S-Corp — what actually changes.

1 guide

Business Banking

Accounts, cards, and keeping money separated properly.

1 guide

Health Insurance

Marketplace plans, subsidies, and HSAs for the self-employed.

1 guide

Retirement

SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), and building a plan without a match.

1 guide

Bookkeeping

Track income and expenses without a spreadsheet meltdown.

1 guide

Budgeting

Frameworks that hold up when your income doesn't repeat.

1 guide

Tools

Free calculators for taxes, rates, and cash flow.

Interactive

Software Reviews

Independent comparisons of the tools freelancers pay for.

1 review

Guides

Cross-topic checklists for the moments that matter most.

Checklists

Calculators

Self-employment tax and quarterly payments, worked out live.

Interactive

Resources

Official .gov links every freelancer should bookmark.

Curated

Start here

Our most useful guides

Ten deep, practical guides to start solving the financial questions freelancers ask most.

Desk calendar marking a quarterly tax deadline
Taxes

Quarterly Estimated Taxes for Freelancers: The Complete Guide

How to calculate, schedule, and pay without penalties.

12 min read
Folder of receipts for tracking tax deductions
Taxes

The Freelancer Tax Deduction Checklist: 25 Write-Offs

Every legitimate deduction, organized by category.

11 min read
Jar of coins representing tax savings
Taxes

How Much to Save for Taxes as a 1099 Contractor

A simple percentage method, plus a free calculator.

9 min read
Two business people shaking hands
Business Structure

LLC vs S-Corp for Freelancers: Which Saves You More

Taxes, paperwork, and payroll compared side by side.

13 min read
Debit card and laptop on a desk
Business Banking

Best Business Bank Accounts for Freelancers

Why separating accounts matters and how to choose.

10 min read
Doctor reviewing paperwork at a desk
Health Insurance

Health Insurance Options for the Self-Employed

Marketplace plans, subsidies, and alternatives compared.

12 min read
Piggy bank representing a retirement plan
Retirement

SEP IRA vs Solo 401(k): Retirement Plans for Freelancers

Contribution limits and how to decide between the two.

11 min read
Accountant working through invoices on a laptop
Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping Basics for Freelancers

A monthly system for tracking income and expenses.

10 min read
Notebook and coffee for budgeting irregular income
Budgeting

How to Budget on Irregular Freelance Income

The baseline-income method for a paycheck that changes.

10 min read
Laptop screen showing a software dashboard
Software Reviews

Best Accounting Software for Freelancers, Compared

QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Wave, and more.

12 min read

Try it live

See your quarterly tax number in under two minutes.

Our Self-Employment & Quarterly Tax Calculator estimates your SE tax, federal liability, and quarterly payment from your net income — free, no email required.

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Frequently asked

Questions freelancers ask before they start

If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal tax for the year after withholding and credits, the IRS generally requires quarterly estimated payments. Our Quarterly Estimated Taxes Guide walks through exact due dates and how to calculate each payment.
Yes. Every guide, checklist, and calculator on this Site is free to read and use, with no account or paywall. We're supported by advertising and, in some articles, affiliate partnerships — see our Affiliate Disclosure.
No — you can operate as a sole proprietor with no formal paperwork at all. An LLC adds liability protection and, at higher income levels, potential tax savings through an S-Corp election. Our LLC vs S-Corp guide breaks down when each makes sense.
Most budgeting advice assumes a fixed paycheck. Our budgeting guide uses a baseline-income method built specifically for income that changes every month.
No. Free Agent Finance publishes general educational information, not individualized advice. We strongly recommend working with a licensed CPA, tax attorney, or financial advisor for decisions specific to your situation — see our full Disclaimer.
Every guide displays a "last reviewed" date. We revisit tax-sensitive content at least once per tax year to reflect updated brackets, contribution limits, and deduction thresholds.
Design preview · illustrative testimonials, not real reviews

What early readers say

★★★★★

"The quarterly tax guide is the first explanation that actually made the math click for me as a designer with lumpy income."

Sample reader personaFreelance designer
★★★★★

"I finally understood the difference between an LLC and an S-Corp well enough to talk to my accountant about it, not just nod along."

Sample reader personaIndependent consultant
★★★★★

"The calculator gave me a number to set aside every month instead of guessing and panicking every April."

Sample reader personaFreelance writer

Not sure where to start? Take the two-minute quiz your future accountant will thank you for.

Actually — just start with the guide everyone reads first.

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