Hi folks,
I didn't see this addressed after performing a search, so I hope I didn't miss something.
I'm nearing the $500 mark on non-reimbursable payments from Trendsource for this year, so I'm getting e-mails telling me I need to give them an EIN, *not* an SSN. From their website:
"The Source chooses to do business with Independent Contractors who operate with Employer Identification Numbers (EIN’s) instead of Social Security Numbers."
Apparently the main rationale behind this is to further emphasize that we're contractors, not employees.
Here's my question: if I apply for this EIN, can I still submit that Schedule C with my own tax return under my SSN, or is it a completely separate filing? And should I lump all my mystery shopping income under the EIN even though other mystery shopping companies are using my SSN? I already have to file two schedule C's, one for writing and one for mystery shopping (in addition to my day job). I don't want to file three schedule C's, but I don't know if it's right to file other mystery shopping under the EIN when those companies aren't using an EIN for me. I guess I could go back to every company I've earned from and replace my SSN with an EIN but it seems like a huge hassle.
Thanks in advance for any advice!