# J1 Graduate working as an independent contractor (W9) -- how/where/when to pay



## padraigfl (Aug 11, 2016)

Hey guys, for the past several months I was working in California with a startup as a W9 employee. This means I've to pay my taxes myself but I've been going in circles for months with it all now, the IRS's site is an absolute maze and I've had their call people hang up on me with a pretty blunt "check the website" within seconds several times within a minute into a call.

I really just want to get this thing off my back at this stage. From what I have gathered I have to pay all taxes asides from those relating to medicare and social security, which comes out to something along the lines of 32% of the income?
However, the sources for paying online don't seem to let you pay unless you have a past tax return. I don't even know if I'm not due to pay anything yet or if I have to wait until January.

Am I to just wait until I get a 1099 and W2 at the end of the year? How do I pay then if I can't pay online? Money order with a mailed in form?



If anyone can point me in the direction of where I could find a few answers, let me know. I'd happily pay a couple hundred to just get this done with so if there are services which do it that'd be great too. (TurboTax don't cover this situation according to several forum posts I've read)


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

If you're not having taxes etc. withheld from your check, you normally would file quarterly "estimated payments."
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes
This page gives you links to the other pages you need and the names of the forms you need. (Turbo Tax or any other tax preparation software should have some provision for making estimated payments.)

As far as paying your taxes, both quarterly estimates or settling up at the end of the year: https://www.irs.gov/payments
(Not all methods of payment are free of charges, however.)
Cheers,
Bev


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