Articles
Short, practical, no fluff. Each one pairs with a free tool.
What late fees can landlords actually charge? (10-state table)
Only 3 of 10 states have hard caps — plus the four misinformation traps (self-storage statutes, dead draft bills) that sites keep repeating. The verified table and lease-clause playbook.
What California's SB 988 is actually worth when a client won't pay — up to double damages, explained
Up to double the unpaid amount, a $1,000 refused-contract kicker, and the $250 threshold that covers almost every gig. Completes the trio with the New York and Illinois articles.
What New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act is actually worth — double damages explained
A $3,000 unpaid invoice becomes $6,000, plus attorney's fees. The three violations and their dollar values, the $800 threshold, and the six-year paper trail that wins claims.
LLC vs sole proprietorship for freelancers: the 2026 tax math
A single-member LLC changes nothing on your federal taxes — same Schedule C, same 15.3%. What it actually buys, the state fee map, and the three triggers that make it worth it.
What can freelancers deduct on Schedule C?
The official Schedule C line map, 2026 rates and limits (mileage, Section 179, startup costs), what you can't deduct, and the adjacent deductions that don't belong on Schedule C at all.
Self-employment tax explained: the 15.3% nobody warns you about
The 92.35% twist, the $184,500 Social Security cap, the half-tax deduction, and a worked example — all on 2026 figures.
Can freelancers deduct the home office?
The $5/sq ft simplified method ($1,500 max), the actual-expense method on Form 8829, the exclusive-use test, and why a qualifying home office unlocks your mileage.
What mileage can freelancers deduct?
The 2026 split-year rates, what counts as a business mile, the commuting trap, and the log that holds up.
Quarterly taxes for freelancers: what you owe and when
The four due dates, how to estimate payments, the safe-harbor rule, and the penalty for skipping.
How to write an invoice that gets paid
Due dates clients can't miss, dispute-proof line items, and late terms printed from day one.
1099 taxes explained for first-time freelancers
What the 1099-NEC means, self-employment tax, quarterly estimates, and the set-aside rule.
How to charge late fees (and actually collect them)
Set the terms before the work starts, calculate what's owed, and send the email that gets paid.