“I’m self-employed. Given economic uncertainty around the coronavirus outbreak, should I still make a contribution to my SEP I.R.A.?”

Contributing to a retirement account warrants some caution right now for self-employed people, since they don’t get a regular paycheck.

Self-employed people with SEP I.R.A.s (short for “simplified employee pension individual retirement arrangements”) often make annual contributions at tax time, once they wrap up their tax returns and see how their income shakes out. They can save 25 percent of their earnings, up to certain limits. SEP contributions are tax deductible and can be made up to the tax filing deadline, or later if the taxpayer gets a six-month extension to file.

This year, given the sudden slowdown in economic activity, it might be wise to use a filing extension, postpone a SEP contribution and instead build a reserve for paying bills if needed, said Patrick Healey, a financial planner in Jersey City, N.J.