Taxes
The 12 best tax write-offs for self-employed people in 2026
Mileage, home office, health insurance, retirement, equipment — the most valuable deductions for solo self-employed workers in 2026.
By MileTracker · April 11, 2026 · 11 min read
If you're self-employed, your tax bill is what's left after deductions. Here are the 12 biggest write-offs to make sure you're claiming.
1. Mileage
$0.67/mile in 2026 — usually the largest single deduction.
2. Home office
Either the simplified $5/sq ft method (max $1,500) or actual expense method based on the percentage of your home used.
3. Health insurance
Self-employed health insurance premiums are deductible above the line.
4. Retirement contributions
SEP-IRA, Solo 401(k), and SIMPLE IRA contributions reduce taxable income.
5. Phone and internet
Business-use percentage.
6. Software and subscriptions
Slack, Notion, Adobe, accounting software, MileTracker Pro.
7. Equipment
Laptops, monitors, cameras, tools — fully expensed under Section 179 in most cases.
8. Education
Courses, books, conferences directly related to your trade.
9. Travel
Airfare, hotel, 50% of meals while traveling for business.
10. Professional services
CPA fees, lawyer fees, bookkeeping services.
11. Business insurance
Liability, E&O, cybersecurity insurance.
12. QBI deduction
20% of qualified business income, subject to limits.
MileTracker detects every drive in the background, lets you classify business or personal in one tap, and exports an IRS-ready PDF and CSV at tax time. Download MileTracker free on the App Store.