Tax Resourcesfor Dental Professionals.

GoTu Compass is the tool that reflects how each shift is structured and what state law requires for that type of work arrangement. Whether a shift is set up as an Employee or Contractor engagement depends on the nature of the role, how the dental office has structured it, and the applicable requirements in that state. Compass reads that information and displays the correct arrangement for each shift so you always know what to expect before you pick it up.

Your credentials are never affected by how a shift is structured. Whether you see a W-2 or a 1099 at the end of the year reflects the nature of the work arrangement and state requirements, not your qualifications or how you use the platform.

If you relocate or update your license, Compass reflects the correct arrangement for your new state. You may complete a short onboarding step, and your shift options update automatically. If anything ever feels off with your classification or pay, Customer Support can review your shift details directly.

Every Contractor shift you complete on GoTu pays out the full amount directly to you, with no federal, state, or local taxes withheld. This is intentional: as an independent dental professional, you're running your own business, and that business is responsible for its own tax obligations.

At the end of the year, if you earned $2,000 or more on Contractor shifts, GoTu will issue you a 1099-NEC, which reports your gross income to the IRS and serves as your official record of what you earned when you file. Even if you earned below the threshold and do not receive a form, you are still required to report all income when you file.

If you work Employee-model shifts in certain states, those shifts run through payroll. GoTu withholds federal, state, and local taxes from each paycheck and remits them on your behalf. At year-end, you'll receive a W-2 reflecting your total earnings and withholdings from those shifts.

Your W-2 reports wages you'll include on your personal income tax return. Because taxes were withheld throughout the year, you may owe little or nothing, or even receive a refund, depending on your total income and deductions. H&R Block Advisors can help you file accurately whether you have a W-2 alone, a 1099 alone, or both.

As an independent contractor, you are solely responsible for paying your own taxes. As such, you should consider how much to set aside from each payment to cover your tax obligations. The number most 1099 workers use is 25–30% of every payout. That covers federal income tax, self-employment tax (15.3% on net earnings), and state income tax where it applies. If you live in a state without income tax like Florida, Texas, or Nevada, you can lean toward the lower end.

Use the calculator below to get a number specific to your income, state, and filing status, then move that amount into a separate account after every shift. SoFi, available through GoTu Partners, offers a high-yield savings account built for exactly this purpose, so your tax money earns interest while it waits.

Although you may work as a contractor, you must still contribute to Social Security and Medicare. What catches many new 1099 workers off guard is that you have to pay both your share and the "employer" share, which adds up to 15.3% on top of your regular income tax.

The good news: you can deduct half of what you pay in self-employment tax from your gross income when you file. It doesn't eliminate the bill, but it takes a real bite out of it. H&R Block Advisors can walk you through this calculation and make sure you're not overpaying.

Generally, if you expect to owe more than $1,000 this year, the IRS expects you to pay in four installments rather than all at once in April. Because your income may vary from quarter to quarter, the amount you owe each quarter may vary as well. Missing a quarterly deadline won't disqualify you from anything, but it may trigger an underpayment penalty at year-end.

If you also have W-2 income from another job or some Employee-model GoTu shifts, factor that into your estimate. H&R Block Advisors can help you get the number right across all your income sources.

Working 1099 means you're a business, and businesses have deductible expenses. Here are the most common ones for dental professionals working GoTu shifts. Talk to your tax advisor about your specific situation to determine all potential or available deductible expenses.

GoTu professionals pick up shifts across state lines all the time. If you earned income in more than one state, you may need to file an income tax return in each state in which you worked, regardless of whether you worked as an employee, 1099, or both. Each state has its own filing thresholds, so you may not be required to file in every state. Start with your home state, then consult a tax advisor about non-resident returns for any other states where you worked.

Compass labels every shift with the state it's in, so your income is easy to separate. H&R Block handles multi-state filings and can make sure you're not doubling up on taxes you already paid.