Hi @AD H!
The first thing you need to consider (or her) is that you pay self-employment taxes on the net income, not the gross. For example, if she got the $5,000, but she had to incur in expenses (ordinary and necessary) to be able to provide that service, let's say $2,000, then she pays taxes only on $3,000. For that, she has to keep her bookkeeping up-to-date to monitor her business net income. Things that she can deduct as expenses can include subscriptions and/or books that she needs to help her research a certain topic she wants to write about.
I always recommend to monitor your finances minimum twice a year, but preferably, quarterly. That way you can make adjustments throughout the year.
There are some calculators (from the IRS and TurboTax) that you can use to determine your tax liability. Remember to include all your income if you file married filing jointly.
Can you tell me which state you live in?
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