Can self-employed people really claim Sick Days from the government? Nobody's explaining how!

This sounds like the accountant was referring to the Qualified Sick Leave Credit that was available under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and then extended by later legislation. It was specifically designed to help self-employed individuals during the pandemic. Unfortunately, that program ended and is no longer available for current tax years. It allowed self-employed people to claim a credit for sick days they took due to COVID-related reasons in 2020-2021. There isn't currently a federal program that allows self-employed people to "claim sick days" in the way employees get paid sick leave. As self-employed individuals, we basically have to build our own benefits package, including saving for times when we can't work. That said, there are a few things worth knowing: - Some states have paid family and medical leave programs that self-employed people can opt into - You can deduct health insurance premiums as a self-employed person - If you have a qualifying high-deductible health plan, you can set up a Health Savings Account (HSA) for tax-advantaged savings for medical expenses

After struggling with this exact same issue last year, I found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand all the self-employment benefits I qualified for. It analyzes your specific situation and shows you eligible tax breaks and credits most people miss. When I uploaded my documents, it found several deductions I had no idea about as a freelancer, including some state-specific benefits I would have completely missed. The tool explains everything in plain English instead of confusing tax jargon. Definitely helped me stop leaving money on the table with my self-employment taxes.

Just wanted to update after trying out taxr.ai - I was genuinely surprised. While it confirmed there's no current federal sick day program for self-employed people, it did identify several deductions I've been missing that are specifically relevant to my design business. The home office calculation it suggested was way more accurate than what I'd been doing. It also flagged that I qualify for the Qualified Business Income deduction which I somehow missed last year - that's saving me about $1,800! Not sick days specifically, but definitely helping offset those unpaid sick days I inevitably take. Worth checking out.

After seeing this post, I tried calling the IRS to ask about any available sick day programs for self-employed workers. HUGE mistake. Spent 2 hours on hold only to be disconnected. Called back and waited another hour before giving up. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) through a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and it was a game-changer. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes! The agent confirmed what others here said - the COVID sick leave credits expired, but they were able to explain some alternative deductions I could look into as a self-employed person. If you need to actually speak with someone at the IRS about your specific situation, this service is worth it just for the time saved. I was ready to give up after those first attempts.

I was really skeptical about Claimyr (see my comment above), but after waiting on hold with the IRS for THREE HOURS yesterday and getting disconnected again, I gave in and tried it. Holy crap, it actually worked! Got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed there's no current "sick day" program for self-employed people, but they walked me through some other deductions I should look into based on my situation. The best part was just getting a straight answer without wasting my entire day. Now I can stop chasing this sick day claim idea and focus on the legitimate deductions I qualify for. Wish I'd known about this service years ago!

I think your CPA might have been talking about the Self-Employed Contributions Act (SECA) sick leave credit, but that was temporary during COVID as others mentioned. What many self-employed people do instead is purchase private short-term disability insurance. It's not government-provided, but it can replace a portion of your income if you're unable to work due to illness or injury. The premiums may be tax-deductible as a business expense too.

Has anyone actually found a tax form where self-employed people can claim sick days? I have TurboTax and don't see anything like this mentioned.

Just to add some clarity here - I went through this exact confusion last year when I started freelancing! The accountant was likely referring to the old FFCRA credits that ended, but there are still some things worth knowing as a self-employed person. While there's no federal "sick day" program currently, don't forget about these legitimate self-employment deductions that can help offset income loss when you're unable to work: - Health insurance premiums (huge deduction if you're not covered elsewhere) - HSA contributions if you have a qualifying high-deductible plan - Home office expenses (a portion of rent, utilities, etc.) - Professional development and training costs - Equipment and software purchases Also, some cities and counties have their own programs - worth checking your local government website. And definitely consider setting up a separate "sick fund" savings account where you put aside 5-10% of each payment for those inevitable down days. It's frustrating that we don't have the same safety net as W-2 employees, but building these habits early in your freelancing career will really pay off!