I just started to do work from home for a few different companies. All of which do not send a 1099 unless I earn around $400-500.

I checked on the IRS website and found that I have to claim any income in excess of $500. If I earn over $500 in one year but it is split between say 4 companies and none of them are required to send me a 1099, am I still required to file and how do I do that without a 1099? I am keeping track of all the income I receive and from who, but would that be "proof" of the income? I don't want the IRS coming back to me saying I didn't pay taxes or enough taxes.

I'm not a tax expert. But, I am a self-employed person - an independent contractor. Have been self-employed as well as employed by others for most of my life. But, most of the time it has been by self-employment.

Most of the work that I do is in other people's homes. They either write me a check, or sometimes pay me cash. Either way, if the IRS really wanted to do a check on me, they would be looking into all of my bank accounts.

When I receive a check, I make a photo-copy of it. When I receive cash for payments, (some people just don't like to write checks), I write the customer a receipt. Those are my proofs of what I have made. I also use Quicken to keep track of everything.

My attorney is a tax attorney. Thus, he does my taxes for me. To date, over the many years that a good portion of my income has been through self-employment, no one who would know anything has ever raised an issue with my accounting methods. It could be the same in your case, if you are meticulously keeping track of everything.

I suppose there might be an issue if I was making really big bucks. But, I don't really know. I don't make really big bucks.

Hopefully, someone will come along who is really knowledgeable about withholding and tax issues.