You work for yourself.
Your taxes work differently.
Freelance income, contract work and self-employment can create tax responsibilities that do not come with a traditional paycheck. APK Tax helps independent professionals understand what information they need, prepare their returns and plan more intentionally for the year ahead.
Whether self-employment is your full-time business or simply one source of income, APK can help you bring the pieces together.
Tax preparation and planning for freelancers, contractors, consultants and self-employed professionals.
Tax Picture
Getting paid is only part of the picture.
When you receive a traditional paycheck, taxes are often withheld automatically.
When you work for yourself, that responsibility can shift to you.
You may receive 1099 forms from clients or platforms, receive income that is not reported on a 1099, pay business expenses throughout the year and need to think about estimated tax payments.
APK helps you organize that information, prepare your tax return and better understand how self-employment affects your overall tax situation.
The goal is not to make you become a tax expert.
It is to help you know what matters, what to keep track of and what comes next.
TRADITIONAL W-2 INCOME
SELF-EMPLOYED INCOME
Self-employment takes many forms.
APK's self-employed tax services may be appropriate if you earn income through independent work, whether that work is your primary occupation or something you do alongside a traditional job.
Professional Services
Consultants Technology Professionals Real Estate Professionals Coaches
Creative Work
Designers Creators Photographers Writers
Independent / Gig Work
Independent Contractors Gig-Economy Workers Drivers Tradespeople
Side Business
W-2 Employees with Side Income Tutors Sole Proprietors
No 1099 does not necessarily mean no income to report.
A 1099 can be an important tax document, but it is not the only record that may matter.
Depending on your circumstances, your tax information may include payments received directly from customers, income through online platforms, checks, bank transfers, payment applications or other sources.
APK can help you organize the information you provide so your return reflects the complete picture of your self-employed activity.
Bring your income, expenses and tax obligations together.
1099 Income
APK can help you account for income reported on forms such as 1099-NEC and other applicable tax documents.
Business Expenses
Your activity may involve ordinary business expenses that need to be properly organized during tax preparation.
Tax Preparation
APK prepares individual tax returns using the income, expense and supporting information relevant to your circumstances.
Year-Round Planning
Estimated tax planning and forward-looking guidance as your independent income changes.
Have a W-2 job, consulting income, and investments?
APK can help bring those pieces together when preparing your return.
Your tax return is easier when your records are organized.
One of the biggest challenges for self-employed individuals is not necessarily the tax return itself. It is knowing what happened financially during the year.
Good records can make it easier to understand your income, identify legitimate business expenses and prepare more efficiently.
Depending on your business, useful records may include:
- Income statements & invoices
- Receipts & bank statements
- Payment-platform records
- Mileage information
- Equipment purchases
- Other business expenses
APK can help you understand what information may be relevant to your particular type of work.
Different income. Different questions.
The tax treatment of any particular item depends on the facts and applicable rules, so APK reviews the circumstances rather than assuming every self-employed client is the same.
HOW YOU WORK
- Full-time freelance
- Consulting business
- Gig / Platform work
- Contract work
- Home-based work
HOW YOU GET PAID
- 1099 Forms
- Direct Payment
- Platform Income
- Client Invoices
- Multiple 1099 Clients
WHAT YOU TRACK
- Business Purchases
- Operating Expenses
- Vehicle / Mileage
- Equipment
- Estimated Payments
HOW THINGS CHANGE
- New Business Started
- Income Growth
- W-2 + Side Income
- Professional Services
- Significant Changes
One person. Two very different kinds of income.
You do not have to consider yourself a full-time entrepreneur to have self-employment tax responsibilities.
Maybe you work a regular job but also consult on weekends, drive for a delivery platform, design websites, sell professional services, manage rental activity, create content, or take occasional contract work.
That additional income can change your tax picture even if your primary income still comes from an employer.
APK can help you look at your employment income and self-employed income together.
DAY JOB
SIDE WORK
Self-employment can make tax planning more important.
Traditional employees often have taxes withheld throughout the year. Self-employed individuals may need to take a more active role in planning for their tax obligations.
Depending on your income and circumstances, estimated tax payments may be something you need to consider.
APK can help you review your situation and think more intentionally about potential tax obligations during the year.
Explore Individual Tax PlanningIncome Received & Tracked
Review Tax Position
Estimated Payments May Apply
Tax Preparation
Keep the records before you need the deduction.
People often wait until tax season to reconstruct months of spending. A better approach is to maintain organized business records throughout the year.
Expenses can vary significantly depending on the type of work you do, and not every personal purchase becomes a business expense simply because you are self-employed.
APK can help you understand what documentation may be relevant to your work and prepare your return based on the information available.
Good tax preparation starts with good records.
Your first year working for yourself can come with a lot of questions.
How should I keep track of income?
What should I save?
What happens if a client does not send me a 1099?
Should I make estimated payments?
What should I separate between personal and business activity?
What happens when I also have a W-2?
You do not need to figure everything out alone.
APK can help you organize the tax side of your new self-employed activity and identify the information that may matter going forward.
Book a Consultation
A clearer way to handle self-employed taxes.
Tell us how you earn income.
Start with some basic information about your work, clients, platforms and other sources of income.
Complete your tax intake.
Provide information about your income, expenses, household and any other financial activity relevant to your return.
Share your records.
Provide your 1099s and other applicable income and expense documentation.
APK reviews your information.
Your tax professional evaluates the information provided and follows up if something else is needed.
APK prepares your return.
Your self-employed activity is considered along with the rest of your tax situation during preparation.
Review and complete.
Complete any remaining questions, review requirements, signatures and other necessary steps before filing.
Plan for the next year.
If appropriate, talk with APK about estimated taxes, recordkeeping and other planning considerations for the year ahead.
Bring together the records behind your business activity.
Depending on your circumstances, APK may ask for information related to:
- • Income received
- • 1099 forms
- • Business expenses
- • Estimated tax payments
- • Vehicle or mileage records
- • Equipment purchases
- • Bank or payment-platform activity
- • Prior-year tax information
You do not need to know exactly what applies before contacting APK. Start with what you have, and APK can help identify anything else that may be needed.
View Tax Document ChecklistStop rebuilding your business finances every tax season.
If gathering information for your return means searching through twelve months of emails, bank transactions and receipts, that may be a sign that your financial records need a better system.
APK also provides bookkeeping and accounting services for businesses that need more consistent financial organization throughout the year.
Explore Bookkeeping ServicesTAX-SEASON RECONSTRUCTION
YEAR-ROUND ORGANIZATION
Your financial needs may change as your work grows.
An activity that begins with a few freelance projects can eventually become a meaningful business.
As revenue, expenses, customers and financial activity increase, you may need more than annual tax preparation. APK can support growing business owners with services such as:
- Bookkeeping
- Business Tax Preparation
- Accounting
- Tax Planning
- Financial Analysis
Professional tax guidance built around how you actually earn.
Meet Your Advisor
Personal Attention
Your tax situation is based on your work, income and circumstances, not simply the fact that you received a 1099.
Clear Communication
APK helps you understand what information is needed and what requires your attention.
Tax + Accounting Perspective
Because APK works across tax preparation, bookkeeping and accounting, the conversation can extend beyond filing a return.
Year-Round Support
As your income changes, you can work with APK on planning rather than waiting until the next tax season.
Individual & Business Expertise
If your independent work grows into a larger business, APK can continue supporting your financial and tax needs.
Know what APK needs from you.
As APK's digital client experience evolves, self-employed clients will have a simpler way to stay organized throughout tax preparation.
The experience is designed to make it easier to:
- • See requested documents
- • Complete outstanding tasks
- • Receive updates
- • Understand where your return stands
Instead of wondering: "Did they receive my 1099?" or "Is something still missing?" the goal is to make the answer visible.
Your tax return may be the beginning of the conversation.
Individual Tax Preparation
For clients combining employment, self-employment and other income.
ExploreTax Planning
Plan for estimated taxes and changing income throughout the year.
ExploreBookkeeping
Keep your business records organized instead of rebuilding them.
ExploreBusiness Tax
For clients whose independent work has grown beyond a side activity.
ExploreMake tax season easier before it arrives.
Let APK help you make sense of the tax side.
Bring your income, expenses and financial activity together with professional tax preparation and year-round guidance built around your circumstances.
Self-employed and 1099 tax preparation for freelancers, contractors, consultants and independent professionals.