Do I need to report income from an odd job w9 on my tax return?

Yes, technically all income needs to be reported on your tax return regardless of whether you receive a 1099 or not. The requirement for someone to issue you a 1099-NEC is when they pay you $600 or more for services as a non-employee, which your situation falls under since you filled out a W9. Even though you haven't received a 1099 yet, your neighbor is required to send it to you (and the IRS) since you were paid over the $600 threshold. They should have sent it by January 31, so you might want to reach out to them. But regardless of whether you receive the form, you still need to report the income. For reporting, you'll use Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) to report this income. Since it's a small amount, it should be fairly simple. You can also deduct any expenses related to the work (like if you had to buy any supplies or use your own equipment).

I was in a similar situation last year with some freelance graphic design work. Rather than stressing over forms, I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that was super helpful for figuring out exactly what to report and how to do it right. You can upload your W9 and any related documents, and it analyzes everything to tell you what forms you need and how to report the income correctly. The tool saved me so much time figuring out what deductions I could take for my home office and equipment. For something like your landscaping gig, it could help identify any deductions you might not be thinking about (like mileage if you drove to the job site, wear on your equipment, etc).

Just wanted to update that I took the advice and tried taxr.ai for a similar situation (got paid $800 for helping a local restaurant set up their website but never received a 1099). It was surprisingly helpful! The tool walked me through everything, even suggesting deductions for my internet usage and computer depreciation that I hadn't considered. It identified that I needed to file a Schedule C and helped me calculate the self-employment tax correctly. The best part was it explained everything in plain English instead of tax jargon. Definitely made the process less intimidating for someone who's never dealt with 1099/independent contractor stuff before.

If you're still waiting on tax forms or have questions about this odd job income, you might want to call the IRS directly. I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually get through to an IRS agent after spending DAYS trying to reach someone. They have this callback system where they wait on hold with the IRS for you and then call you when an actual human agent is on the line. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed that all income needs to be reported even without a 1099, but they also walked me through the exact reporting process for my situation. Saved me from potentially making a mistake that could have triggered an audit.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After spending literally an entire afternoon trying to get through to the IRS myself about a similar odd job situation, I gave it a try. Within 90 minutes, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who cleared up my questions. The agent confirmed that yes, I needed to report my side gig income even though I never got a 1099, and they walked me through exactly how to do it properly using Schedule C. They even helped me identify some deductions I could take to offset some of the self-employment tax. Honestly saved me both time and money in the end.

Just to add a data point, I did yard work for a few neighbors last year and made about $1,200 total. Only one of them sent me a 1099. I reported ALL of it anyway on Schedule C because the IRS doesn't care whether you got the form or not - they care that you report all income. I actually claimed deductions for my lawnmower depreciation, gas, and other supplies which offset some of the taxes. It's worth the small hassle of filing the extra form to avoid potential issues down the road. The IRS can be pretty forgiving if you make honest mistakes, but intentionally not reporting income can cause bigger problems.

For what it's worth, I've found that smaller businesses or individuals often mess up the 1099 process. Last year my landlord paid me $700 to repaint my apartment and had me fill out a W9, but never sent a 1099. When I called him in February, he had completely forgotten about it! You might just want to reach out to your neighbor and remind them about the 1099. In my case, my landlord thanked me for the reminder and got it sent out right away. Technically they can get in trouble with the IRS for not sending required 1099s, so most people will appreciate the heads up.

Sean, I completely understand your confusion - this exact situation trips up a lot of people! The short answer is yes, you absolutely need to report that $650 even without receiving a 1099. The IRS considers all income taxable regardless of whether you get the paperwork. Since your neighbor had you fill out a W9 and paid you over $600, they were actually required to send you (and the IRS) a 1099-NEC by January 31st. You should definitely reach out to them about this - they might have just forgotten or sent it to the wrong address. Here's what you need to do: Report the income on Schedule C (it's simpler than it sounds), and yes, you'll need to pay self-employment tax on it (about 15.3%, so roughly $100). I know that seems like a lot for a weekend job, but it's the law. One silver lining - you can deduct any legitimate business expenses like tools you bought, mileage driving to the job, or even a portion of your phone bill if you used it for work coordination. These deductions can help offset some of that self-employment tax. Don't stress too much about the complexity - most tax software will walk you through the Schedule C process step by step. Better to report it correctly now than deal with IRS letters later!