What kind of income is typically subject to self-employment tax?

Self-employment tax is specifically designed to apply to individuals who earn income through self-employment ventures. This includes income earned from freelance work, where individuals provide services or goods independently rather than as an employee of a business. When someone is self-employed, they are responsible for paying both the employer's and the employee's portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes, which are encompassed in the self-employment tax.

The other types of income listed, such as wages from an employer, income from rental real estate, and interest income from savings, do not attract self-employment tax. Wages are subject to withholding for Social Security and Medicare taxes by the employer, rental income often has different tax treatments, and interest income is taxed at ordinary income rates but is not subject to self-employment tax. Thus, income earned from freelance work stands out as the typical example subject to the self-employment tax.