[ValerieAnne]

Towards the middle of 2011 I started working freelance for mTurk. I didn't make enough from any one person to receive a 1099 form. I did not have another job, so I won't be getting a W-2 form. I was told to fill in the Schedule C form. I do not have any expenses or losses. I just have net income. How would I fill the form out with so much stuff missing?

I only have net profits/income. That's it. I didn't have to buy anything (using a computer I've had a few years) and I didn't have any losses (I use my computer/internet for more than just work).

I have separated my taxes into a different account and will be paying that through the IRS website within the next few weeks.

Thank you.

[ebaines]

You report your income as a self-employed contractor on schedule C (or C-EZ if you had less than $5K in self-employment income). Even though the amount you earned from any one client was less than the requirement for them to send you a 1099, you still must report your billings. If you truly have no expenses then your billings equal your income, from which you take the usual deductions and exemptions on Form 1040. Also be sure to pay the self-employed tax as well (social security & medicare) on schedule SE as well - this is required if your self-employment income was more than $400 for the year.

For an overview see: Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center

[Fr_Chuck]

It is hard to believe any business has no "expense" almost any business has to buy note pad, postage stamps or some cost. It may not be large but often new self employed people forget so much of the money they spend on their business.

[ValerieAnne]

@Fr_Chuck I really don't have any expenses. It's online work, so I never have to send anything in the mail.

@ebaines thank you for the forms needed, one of the forms I had downloaded was wrong, and that was contributing to my confusion.

An addition question for anybody.

Is there anywhere online (like H&R Block) that I'd be able to file online? When I had outside of the home jobs, I always used H&R Block Free Edition, and found it fast, secure and easy to undertand.

Thanks again.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

ValerieAnne:

You DO have expenses. The use of the computer is an expense. Computers are depreciated over five years, so you enter the cost of the computer (and monitor and modem and printer) and take one-fifth of the costs times the percentage of business use.

Same logic for your cell phone. Deduct the business percentage of your monthly bill.

If you used your car in the business, deduct the mileage on your business trips at either 50 or 55 cents per mile.

[ValerieAnne]

@AtlantaTaxExpert Thank you for that. I was under the impression that I could only add my computer as an expense if I used it purely for work purposes which I didn't. I've only used it for work purposes about 6-7 months out of the 3 years I've had it.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

You can take the pro-rated costs of the computer. Total business use becomes an issue if used on a home office.