Why do I need to file an SS-8?

[WATSONSD]

My wife is an educator and does a little independent contract work each year for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum each year for less than $2000. We file a 1099-NEC each year without problem. This year, Turbotax insists that we must file an SS-8 form.  She doesn't have the information to fill this out.

There are several screens that get us here, regardless of what we choose. It asks about her type of income, whether it's self-employment or income that should have been reported on a W-2. Either choice asks us to fill out the SS-8.

We're stuck. We've never had to fill out this form before. I can see where I reported the NEC on last year's taxes.

[Hal_Al]

TT is not "insisting" you file form SS-8. You inadvertently selected that you wanted to report the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to the IRS for reporting the income on a 1099-NEC, instead of a W-2. 

Go back and delete the 1099-NRC and start over. 

[WATSONSD]

What do I do with this 1099-NEC that I have, then? There seemed to be no place to input the information on Turbotax the way there was in previous years. It asked about other 1099's, but not the NEC. I searched for it in their search box and found a way to enter it. 

She did not receive a W-2 for this work. If I add the NEC, it asks the questions that lead to the SS-8.

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Q. What do I do with this 1099-NEC that I have, then? 

A. You have to report it as self employment. 

The IRS considers anything on a form 1099-NEC to be self employment income. Enter the 1099 income, at 1099-MISC and Other Common income / income from a 1099-NEC . TurboTax (TT) will complete Schedule C  for you and allow you to deduct any expenses associated with this income. You'll also have to pay self employment tax (social security & Medicare) on any profits greater than $432. These types of payments are frequently done this way. Your "employer" is not the only one.