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New Member
posted Feb 26, 2025 11:46:09 AM

Received a 1099-NEC for helping review a college education program. I don't have a consulting business. What "type" do I select as none of the options seems to fit?

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4 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 26, 2025 11:59:50 AM

It depends. If you were contracted to review a college education program and if it has nothing to do with your own education such as an internship or a stipend relating to your own education then it would be taxable as self employment.

 

You can decide if it is hobby or business income.  This IRS link will help you: Business or Hobby?

 

Key elements:

  1. A hobby requires you to report the income you received and under the current tax law, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), no expenses are allowed to be used to reduce the money collected even if you itemize deductions.
  2. A business allows you to deduct the costs necessary to obtain the income.  The law explains that 'you must be engaged in the activity to produce a profit'.  The test under IRS tax law is that you must show a profit three out of every five consecutive years to be considered a business.

Once you decide what type of income this is you can use the links below to see how to report.

Use the information below to report hobby income.

Other Miscellaneous Income:

  1. Go to the Wages and Income  section of TurboTax
  2. Scroll to  Less Common Income > Select  Miscellaneous Income, 1099-A, 1099-C
  3. Select Hobby Income and ExpenseEnter the income

New Member
Feb 26, 2025 1:01:28 PM

I am a college professor in the education department. I was asked by another college to review one of their programs. I received $1000 for doing it.

Expert Alumni
Feb 26, 2025 1:17:10 PM

Yes, this could be considered as self employment because you did it with the intent to earn money and it was for your services. If this is just a one time situation then you could report it as a hobby or just other income. As a professor your regular income is for your livelihood.

 

@sherry-long1970 

Level 15
Feb 26, 2025 3:26:39 PM

Although it may be news to you that you “have a business” (and most of the other people who get their first 1099-NEC); The IRS considers anything on a form 1099-NEC to be self employment income. 

I'm of the opinion, you should report that as self employment because it's in the general area of your regular work. 

 

If it's a "one time gig", you  can report it as "other income". But, if you try reporting the income as anything else, you chances of hearing from the IRS are  higher.

 

Here are a couple of older discussions on this topic (Back when the 1099-MISC was used, instead of the newer 1099-NEC)

http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2009/Jul/20091639.htm

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1313326-got-letter-from-irs-about-1099-misc-saying-i-may-be-liable-for-self-employment-tax-am-i-turbo-tax-didn-t-think-so