Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

tperkins06 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:28:49 GMT

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:37:50 GMT

Yes---you have self-employment income. You will pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare, and perhaps ordinary income tax depending on how much you earned.

You need online Self-Employed software or any version of the CD/download to enter your self-employment income and to prepare the Schedule C you need for your expenses.

If your self-employment income was only from cash, personal checks, credit card payments, or cryptocurrency

Type Schedule C in the Search box and then select the Jump to link. This will take you to where you can enter any cash, personal checks, credit card payments, or cryptocurrency (Form 1099-K) related to your self-employment. You may first be asked some general questions about your business. After you answer them, you’ll be taken to the Let's get income for (your line of work) screen where you can enter this income as Additional Income.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/how-do-i-report-income-from-self-employment/00/26653

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/what-is-the-self-employment-tax/00/25922

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2902389-why-am-i-paying-self-employment-tax

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901340-where-do-i-enter-schedule-c

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3398950-what-self-employed-expenses-can-i-deduct

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901110-do-i-need-to-make-estimated-tax-payments-to-the-irs

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/self-employed/

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:40:16 GMT

@tperkins06 We should clarify----where did you babysit? In your home or their home? If you babysat in their home you might be a household employee.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/considered-household-employee/L8WWhbPfO_US_en_US?uid=le60pt4n

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

Tperk — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:54:45 GMT

It was in my home

topic Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?

Re: Can i file taxes if i babysat all year for a friend and she paid me in cash?