Real estate agents and brokers receive income in the form of commissions from sales transactions. You’re generally not considered an employee under federal tax guidelines, but rather a self-employed sole proprietor, even if you’re an agent or broker working for a real estate brokerage firm. This self-employed status allows you to deduct many of the expenses you incur in your real estate sales or property management activities. To find out more, read the full TurboTax article.