Do I need to fill out IRS Form 8300 for $10k garden box order? Should I start a business?

You don't need to worry about Form 8300 in this case. Form 8300 is for reporting cash payments over $10,000 received in a trade or business. A check doesn't count as cash for Form 8300 purposes - the form is specifically for actual currency, cashier's checks, money orders, or bank drafts under $10,000 (to catch people trying to avoid reporting requirements). As for whether you need a formal business - what you're describing is what the IRS would consider a "hobby business" or side gig. The key question is whether you're doing this with the intention of making a profit. If yes, even occasionally, you should report the income on Schedule C instead of as "other income." This allows you to deduct your expenses (materials, payments to your contractor, etc.). You don't necessarily need to form an LLC or corporation - you can operate as a sole proprietor using your social security number. Just keep good records of income and expenses related to your garden box making.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who was in a similar situation. I used to do custom woodworking on the side and struggled with the whole "is this a hobby or business" question. After getting a big commission, I checked out https://taxr.ai to analyze my situation - they reviewed my tax docs and gave me a clear answer about how to classify my work. The site helped me understand that I definitely needed to use Schedule C instead of "other income" because I was clearly trying to make a profit, even though it was sporadic. They also clarified that depositing checks doesn't trigger Form 8300 reporting (only cash does). Saved me a ton of stress and potentially an audit!

I actually tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and I have to say I was impressed! My situation was similar - I sell custom jewelry at local markets 5-6 times a year and wasn't sure if I needed a formal business structure. Their review confirmed I should be using Schedule C and helped me understand exactly which expenses I could legitimately deduct. They even pointed out that I could deduct a portion of my internet and cell phone bills since I use them to process payments and communicate with customers. I had no idea! The best part was getting clear guidance on exactly how to handle my home workshop space deduction, which I was nervous about claiming. Definitely recommend checking them out if you're confused about your tax situation.

If you're dealing with the IRS and have questions about forms or business status, good luck trying to call them directly! I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS about my side business tax questions last year. After wasting hours on hold only to get disconnected, I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an actual agent is on the line. I was skeptical, but I had an IRS representative on the phone within 2 hours instead of the days I was spending trying on my own. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to file for my woodworking side gig and answered all my questions about expense deductions.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After seeing it mentioned here, I decided to give it a shot since I was desperate to talk to someone about my amended return that's been processing for 7 months. To my complete shock, I was on the phone with an actual IRS agent the same day! The agent was able to see exactly what was happening with my return and gave me specific information about when it would be processed. They even helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed to keep for my side business to avoid issues in the future. I'm not usually one to admit when I'm wrong, but this service actually delivered what it promised. Saved me countless hours of frustration and gave me peace of mind about my tax situation.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if you're making garden boxes regularly, even just a few times a year, you might want to consider liability issues. If someone gets injured by one of your products, you could be personally liable without a business structure like an LLC. I make custom furniture as a side hustle and formed an LLC for exactly this reason. It's not just about taxes - it's about protecting your personal assets if something goes wrong. The paperwork isn't that bad, and the peace of mind is worth it.

Everyone's talking about the business side but missing something important about the Form 8300 - it's not just about cash vs. checks. The form is for CASH transactions over $10k, but there's another form - Currency Transaction Report (CTR) that banks file when you deposit over $10k. You don't file this, the bank does. Just be aware the bank will likely file this form when you deposit the $13.5k check. This is normal and routine, nothing to worry about. But if you start breaking up large deposits into smaller ones to avoid this reporting (called "structuring"), that's actually illegal.