Guides for Canadian self-employed
The calculators on this site handle CRA-correct math for Canadian freelancers, gig workers, and side hustlers. For deeper Canadian-specific bookkeeping guides — T2125 walkthroughs, GST/HST registration, CRA instalments — see NorthOS, our Canadian-first bookkeeping app for self-employed folks.
Canadian bookkeeping & tax guides (NorthOS)
T2125 line-by-line walkthrough
How to fill out the self-employment income form for your T1 — Canadian-specific, line by line.
northos.ca →When to register for GST/HST
Exactly when the $30,000 small-supplier threshold trips, and what to do once it does.
northos.ca →CRA tax instalments for self-employed
When the CRA requires quarterly instalments and how to calculate them. The Canadian equivalent of US quarterly taxes.
northos.ca →How much to set aside for taxes
A simple rule of thumb for what to put aside from every freelance invoice in Canada.
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Side hustle math (broadly applicable, US-focused)
These guides use US tax math for the worked examples, but the underlying principles — what gross vs net earnings actually means, how to think about rate-setting, when to pay quarterly — apply to Canadian self-employed too. Pair them with our CA calculators for CRA-correct numbers.
Is gig work worth it? The real take-home math
US-focusedPer-platform earnings, mileage deduction math, and worked examples for Uber, DoorDash, Etsy, Airbnb. US-focused but the platform-fee math applies in Canada too — pair with our CA gig calculator for CRA-correct numbers.
How much to charge as a freelancer
US-focused, math applies broadlyWhy salary ÷ hours is wrong, and how to set rates that account for SE tax, benefits replacement, and realistic billable hours. The principles apply to Canadian freelancers — use our CA freelance rate calculator for CPP/QPP-aware math.
How to pay quarterly self-employment tax
US-focusedDetailed walkthrough of US quarterly estimated taxes. Canadians have CRA instalments instead — the broad framework (estimate, divide, pay) is the same but specific dates and forms differ.
Looking for the calculators? See all Canadian calculators.