So... I received 7 1099 forms guys... and HR Block software is new to me since this is my first time doing this and not just a W2.. that I could get prepared for free as a low income worker. I read a ton here and I kept great notes and spreadsheets. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH... but now I'm dumbfounded.... because I read that I could just file all income and do a single schedule C... but no online software is allowing this.

So do I have to enter each of these 1099's separately and fill out 7 separate schedule C's? It keeps asking same questions over and over as I do that, too... because I did a trial run but it never asks for any info about ID's -- just the companies name. Blah .

I didn't do anything that reimbursed me -- I just did flat pay after a ton of reading on here. Seemed the best way to go just do that route and miles. Basically... a blue billion banks, phone calls, car dealerships, inquiries, apartments, etc.

But... I decided to buy HR Block self employed since it had pretty good noob reviews.

Sooooo

do I click

1) I was a contractor with income from just 1099 misc box 7 (which is true... all 7 of these are just box 7 clicked)
2) worked as an independent contractor for a variety of clients schedule C.

No matter which one I select, it wants my 1099s all entered separate which means putting in my miles separately and repeating myself...29000 miles driven, 1500 for this company, 1800 for that, and so on. I thought it would just ask me to list all 1099's and then I could put in the mileage totaled as one lump sum, my car tax, and my interest. Did I do something wrong? Blah. About to head to a tax prep office but they'd charge me as much as I'll owe the IRS

You did something wrong. I'm having a hard time following you but you should be able to enter all of your 1099s under one Schedule C and then enter all of your expenses on it.

I dunno, I do mine manually.

Maybe I'll try Turbotax and see how their software goes or just scrap the HR stuff in there so far. It says "do you have 1099 misc income with just box 7? If so, please enter here" and when I do, it asks me my name, my EIN, the payers name, NOT their ein, and how much I was paid. It then asks about my car, miles, and total miles... and then pops back to "do you ahve other income" and so I select yes, I have another 1099, and the process begins all over. When I did this and checked the preview of it, it was showing 7 different 1099s which is why I went back in and edited the miles for each one. I still took a loss. Didn't realize miles mattered so much. But the software isnt' working with me. I thought I could tell it A)1099 paid xyx amount, b paid this, c paid that, d paid this, and then put in my miles at the end. I'm showing a loss so no home office deduction. Also, no tolls, food, reimbursements, etc.

Thank you both. I may try another program just as a trial run or scrap this and start from scratch if it will let me to see the outcome. I have all my notes and documents.

Someone else might have something to chime in about it...there are other shoppers who use tax software. I have just been doing it so long the way that I do it and I don't mind it, never felt the need to change.

I use the H&R Block software...and when you enter a 1099 it asks which copy of the schedule C you would like to apply it to, and lists ones you have created. (option #1)

I have one for my MS business and another for my main career, and it's easy to just apply the 1099 to the appropriate business. If you have just one business, it will be even easier.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I use the H&R Block software...and when you enter a 1099 it asks which copy of the schedule C you would like to apply it to, and lists ones you have created. (option #1)

I have one for my MS business and another for my main career, and it's easy to just apply the 1099 to the appropriate business. If you have just one business, it will be even easier.

As soon as I do that, it cycled through those options. I tried it both ways. Maybe i didn't select the correct very first version but it suggested Self-employed. I choose the option before entering the 1099. It asks which scenario, and then I entered it but I thought I could sum them all up instead of

1) 999999 mystery shopping
Ipsos $1200
400 miles driven
28000 miles total.

2) 999999 mystery shopping
MarketForce $3050
822 miles driven
28000 total

3) 999999 mystery shopping
Person to Person $682
121 miles drive
28000 total.

Sounds like something may have happened with their suggestions.
First, I opted for "free" and it was like ooh, looks like you need premium. So I used premium, and it was like oh looks like you need XYZ, then I selected that and it was like "oh hey, looks like you'll need to use HR Block self employed"

Thank you all again. This software is making me want to scream and punch household objects.

l!!!!!!! Sooooo I just completely deleted my profile, and went back in just using self employed from the get go and that did the trick I think! I can now enter my business and add income from each of my payers. Shew lawd. I dunno why I didn't do that to start with. It just kept cycling me in a million circles!

After I recreated it, told it I had a business and needed to enter 1099's, it then let me actually add them one at a time as far as income I made, payers name, etc. and put all that in and THEN continue on to my schedule C. So glad I scrapped it. Ugh. Hallelujurrrrrr

It now says "Tell us who paid you and the amount you were paid. Enter each 1099-MISC separately."

It wasn't doing that before. Lawd y'all. Thanks for letting a newbster come and vent. And being helpful.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I use the H&R Block software....

Steve -- question -- sorry to butt in. When H&R asks "when did you first use vehicle for this business" do they mean ever? I first started using my Equinox was back on January 5th, 2014 for mystery shopping -- the wording on Block changed a little this year.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2018 11:37PM by MountainCacher88.

@MountainCacher88 wrote:

When H&R asks "when did you first use vehicle for this business" do they mean ever?

I think they mean the first year it was used...but you're right, the wording changed. It used to then tell you that the convention you used in year #1 has to continue...(Mileage vs. actual costs).

I do my taxes via a mystery shop.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2018 06:55AM by HonnyBrown.

I normally do my taxes manually, but I started playing around with H&R's site last night. Instead of selecting the 1099 option when entering income, I chose the Receipts and Sales option. This allowed me to enter all of my MSC income and expenses at once without the drudge of entering each MSC separately. The results will be the same. Unlike with W-2s, there is no requirement or mechanism for us to report our 1099s on our tax returns, as long as we report the correct total figures.

This is all making me soooo glad that I use Turbo Tax. It seems to ask the right questions and always lets me designate which 1099 goes with what Schedule C, since I used to run 2 businesses. Even easier now that it is one business.

Yes, the IRS want to know when you first used that vehicle in this business. That way, they can check to see that you are consistently using the same option for vehicle expenses.

I've used Turbo Tax for years and never had a problem.
In the old days, I went out a bought the software for each year. Now, they send me an Email alerting me that tax season is upon us. I just log on to the site online and begin.
One of the nice things is that If I am at a lower income, I am able to use TT for free.

A good reason to keep every scrap of information!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2018 02:55PM by French Farmer.

Turbo Tax and probably HR Software require a more expensive software package to file Sch C income. The cheaper programs do not support Schedule C.

I compared the two a few years back and liked HR better but this year, some of the wording along the way changed. I didn't have any issues inputting but I believe last years questions about the car were worded differently. They also worded the sections about the business slightly different this year.

My cousin used FreeTaxUS or something along those lines and had no issues with her 1099 or schedule C, but she just had a single 1099.