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Taxes & Finance

Your Guide to Independent Contractor Taxes

As an independent contractor, you’re in business for yourself, but with Roo, you're never alone. Here’s everything you need to take on taxes with style (and savings).

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Estimating tax payments

Do I need to file taxes quarterly?

If you’re expected to owe more than $1,000, you should make quarterly estimated tax payments. It’s not a requirement, but it could help you avoid having to pay some interest and penalties.

Quarterly taxes can be paid online through IRS.gov or state-specific portals.

Quarterly Taxes Due Date:

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Due Date	April 15	June 15	Sept. 15	Jan. 15 next year
Pay Period	Jan. 1 - March 31	April 1 - May 31	June 1 - Aug 31	Sept. 1 - Dec. 31

What are my quarterly estimated tax payments?

Take last year’s tax bill and divide it by four. This will give you your quarterly “safe harbor estimates,” which prevent you from having to pay interest and penalties.

You can also base your payments on your actual income:

Take your Q1 income, divide by 3 (to break it down monthly), multiply by 12, and base your estimated quarterly payments on 30% of that number. If you overpay, that’s okay, you’ll get that money back.

Tax deductions: this is where the fun begins

As a relief professional, you now have access to a number of write-offs for your business expenses. And guess what? You’re the business! For starters, here’s a template for tracking your expenses from our partner, Fit Money CPA.

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List of Write-Offs for Vets & Techs

Check out our comprehensive list of write offs as a veterinary independent contractor

Don’t miss out on these slam dunk deductions!

We always recommend getting professional tax advice to make sure you’re not leaving any money on the table.

Anyone can write off their milage (tracked in the Roo app automatically) and take a simplified home office deduction, which includes a portion of your utility bills based on square footage.

Do you use your cell phone to search for Roo shifts? How about the internet? A portion of those bills can probably be deducted too!

Travel write-offs

Traveling for a Roo shift, CE event, or veterinary conference? If you’re over 50 miles away from home, you can write off all sorts of travel expenses for any trip that’s work-related even if you tack on a bit of vacation! Plus, your meals and snacks become tax-deductible too! Just be sure to save those receipts. We recommend taking a picture with your phone to protect yourself from fading ink.

There’s an app for that!

Our partner, Stride, offers an app for tracking expenses making year end tax write-offs a breeze!

Get the App

Become a business

Setting yourself up as a business, such as an S-Corp, C-Corp, or sole proprietorship, allows you to sidestep the self-employment tax and save big. Essentially, you set up a company where you’re the only employee. There’s a lot that goes into that, so it’s best to get help from a seasoned tax pro.

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Business Comparison Chart

Quickly weigh your options when deciding between setting up a sole proprietorship, partnership, S-corp or C-corp

S-Corps vs. LLCs: What’s the difference?

Ones’s legal, one’s for taxes. A Limited Liability Company (LLC) and Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) are legal entities, which protect you if you get sued, preventing others from going after your personal assets.

S-Corps, C-corps, and sole proprietorships are businesses you can set up to save on taxes.

Roo partnered with Fit Money CPA to bring you tax tips specifically tailored to Relief Vets and Techs. Keep an eye out for our upcoming webinar with Michelle Musacchio, CPA, MT, and cat lover to get the most up to date tax tips and tricks!

The advice provided here is for informational purposes only, and you should always check with your tax professional for up-to-date information that applies specifically to you.

Relief veterinarian and technician working together

Relief Tips and Guides

Tax season doesn’t need to be stressful. Roo has put together tons of resources to help you navigate taxes as an independent contractor and ensure you save as much money as possible!

Hop In

Vet Licensing Resources

You may be an independent contractor, but you’re never alone. Check out our licensing guides, learn about DEA registration for relief professionals, or get reliable professional liability insurance.

Hop In

Healthcare and Benefits

We know how stressful it can be finding the right health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage. That’s why we’ve partnered with Stride Health to save you time and money getting these essentials.

Hop In

Vet & Tech Tutorials

Feeling a bit lost? Click here! Getting started with Roo is easy. We've put together a bunch of videos to show you how to get the most out of the Roo app and online platform.

Hop In

< Back to Vet & Tech Resources

Taxes & Finance

Your Guide to Independent Contractor Taxes

How do taxes work with Roo?

Relief Tips and Guides

Vet Licensing Resources

Healthcare and Benefits

Vet & Tech Tutorials

Vets & Techs

Hospitals

Resources

Students

About

Find Relief Veterinarian Jobs

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< Back to Vet & Tech Resources

Taxes & Finance

Your Guide to Independent Contractor Taxes

How do taxes work with Roo?

Relief Tips and Guides

Vet Licensing Resources

Healthcare and Benefits

Vet & Tech Tutorials

Vets & Techs

Hospitals

Resources

Students

About

Find Relief Veterinarian Jobs

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