Can I skip Schedule C if I am not claiming expenses?

[aliceshockley]

I have $700 dollars reported on a 1099-NEC and no expenses to claim.  Turbo Tax wants me to upgrade to Self-Employed for $120 to file a blank Schedule C.  Is there a way around this?

[SamS1]

Yes.  You should not need to upgrade to Self-Employed if you are not reporting expenses.  If you were wanting to report expenses to offset the 1099-NEC income, an upgrade to Self-employed would be required.  Try deleting the 1099-NEC then re-entering.  There is a listing of forms offered in TurboTax.  If you are only entering Sch C income, you should be able to get by with Deluxe or Premier.  When TurboTax asks to upgrade, indicate no thanks.

After you have logged in and are in your return:

• Go to Search at the top of the screen.
• Enter Form 1099-NEC in the search box. 
• You will see a Jump To function that will take you to the 1099-NEC input screens. 
• There Delete/add the 1099-NEC.

The 1099 Series are informational reporting forms submitted to the IRS by third parties. The IRS then matches the form information to your tax return to insure all income is reported and taxed. If you do not include a 1099 received from a third party on your tax return, you will receive a notice from the IRS asking why. This is the CP2000 matching notice. If you receive this notice from the IRS, make sure and respond by the date indicate on the notice.

[Rapptor]

... but, let's be clear: The Schedule C will not be blank.  The income must be filed.  It needs to be entered onto a Schedule C or F (if farm), which will also then flow to a Schedule SE for paying self-employment tax on that income (since the company that payed you did not pay payroll taxes on it).