It depends on how you're paid and the type of year-end form you receive from the person or business that paid you.
If you're an employee:
- You received a W-2 from your employer (usually in January or early February)
- Your employer took Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) out of your paycheck each payday
If you’re an independent contractor:
- You received a 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC
- The payments you received were for the full amount you earned, nothing was deducted for FICA
If you're an independent contractor you're considered self-employed and responsible for reporting your earnings and paying your taxes directly to the IRS. You should report your net income or losses either on a Schedule C or as other income on Form 1040.
We’ll help you by asking you simple questions about your self employment income and filling out the right tax forms for you during your filing process.
