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Hello, I am a W-2 employee but want to start a sole propriater (Schedule-C) business on the side. Does the standard deduction only apply to one of those incomes or is it split between them? Thank you
AI accountant’s answer:

Hey there! The standard deduction isn't applied to each type of income separately. Instead, it's used to reduce your total taxable income. So, when you file your tax return, you'll add up all your income - both from your W-2 job and your Schedule C business - and then subtract the standard deduction from that total. This means the standard deduction can effectively lower the tax you owe on both your W-2 and business income. Just remember, the standard deduction doesn't reduce your self-employment taxes, which are calculated separately on your business income.

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