How does self-employment tax work for those Americans, who live abroad, travel the world and work for themselves? Well, you still have to pay US taxes on foreign income if you are a freelancer, independent contractor, digital nomad or entrepreneur abroad. Yes, US tax laws apply no matter where in the world you live and perform the work.The self-employment tax is a social security and Medicare tax on net self-employment income. You must pay this tax if your net self-employment earnings are at least USD$400 in a year. But don’t panic, we know the ways to legally minimise tax burden for self-employed Americans abroad.1. Filing Requirements For Self-Employment Taxes You fall under different filing threshold category if you are self-employed US person who reside abroad. As we mentioned earlier, earning USD$400 in a year already triggers a filing requirement for a tax return. As the US is one of the two countries which practice citizen-based taxation, it’s necessary to take care of US tax obligations even while living abroad. Who does the IRS consider to be self-employed? If you belong to any of the following categories: