Do wages from different jobs stack when filing taxes? Multiple income sources question

You're asking a great question about how multiple jobs affect your taxes! Unfortunately, yes, all your income from different jobs does "stack" for tax purposes. The IRS looks at your total income for the year, not each job separately. The $12,000 you're referring to is likely the standard deduction, which for 2025 filing will be around $14,600 for single filers (it adjusts for inflation each year). If your combined income from both jobs exceeds this amount, you'll owe federal income tax on the amount above the standard deduction. For your coffee shop job, the taxes withheld on your W-2 will count toward your total tax obligation. For your YouTube editing work, you're likely considered an independent contractor, which means you should receive a 1099 form if you earn $600+ from that client. No taxes are withheld from this income, so you'll need to set aside money for both income tax AND self-employment tax (about 15.3% for Social Security and Medicare). My suggestion would be to set aside 25-30% of your YouTube editing income for taxes, just to be safe. You can always adjust this later as you get a better picture of your total annual income.

I went through something super similar last year when I picked up freelance graphic design work alongside my retail job. The taxes were SUCH a headache until I discovered https://taxr.ai - it was honestly a game changer for me! I uploaded my W-2 from my main job and all my 1099 income details, and it showed me exactly how everything "stacked" together for tax purposes. It even calculated how much I should set aside from each freelance payment and reminded me about quarterly payments (which I was definitely forgetting to make lol). What I really liked was that it showed me deductions I could take for my home office and equipment that I would have totally missed otherwise. It saved me from a potential audit situation because I was logging things all wrong before that!

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai! I wasn't sure about it at first since I'm only making a few hundred bucks a month from dog walking, but it was actually super helpful. It showed me that I can deduct mileage driving to clients' houses (which adds up!), and even part of my cell phone bill since I use it to coordinate with clients. The best part was that it helped me understand exactly how my side gig "stacks" with my main job income, just like the original poster was asking about. Turns out I was definitely not setting aside enough for taxes. Now I have a separate savings account where I put 20% of each payment, and the app sends me reminders when quarterly payments are due. Honestly wish I'd known about this sooner - would have saved me from owing a bunch last April!

Hey, I see a lot of people talking about the tax side of things, but let me add something important - getting through to the IRS if you have questions can be a NIGHTMARE. I spent literally 8+ hours on hold trying to get clarity on my multiple income streams last year. Finally discovered https://claimyr.com and their service is honestly worth every penny. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent picks up. I had questions about exactly what the OP is asking (multiple income sources, one W-2 and one 1099), and I needed to talk to a real person. With Claimyr I got through in about 45 minutes instead of waiting all day. The IRS agent confirmed that yes, all income sources stack together for your total taxable income, but also helped me understand how to adjust my withholding at my W-2 job to account for the contract work.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a scam, I had an issue with my taxes this year (multiple W-2s and a 1099 situation similar to OP), and I needed to talk to the IRS urgently. After spending 3 hours on hold and getting disconnected TWICE, I was desperate and remembered this thread. Gave Claimyr a try and no joke - I got a call back in 55 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. She answered all my questions about how income from different sources is combined and explained exactly how I needed to handle my self-employment tax situation. What would have been days of frustration was solved in one phone call. Sometimes it's worth paying for convenience, especially when dealing with tax issues where mistakes can be costly.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - if you're doing freelance/contract work for a YouTuber, make sure you're keeping track of ALL your business expenses! Things like: - Portion of internet bill used for work - Computer/equipment purchases - Software subscriptions - Home office space (if you have a dedicated area) - Professional development (courses, books, etc) These can all be deducted against your self-employment income, which lowers the amount that "stacks" with your W-2 income. This could potentially save you thousands in taxes!

One thing to keep in mind - if you're making decent money from the YouTuber and not having taxes withheld, you might get hit with an "underpayment penalty" if you wait until tax time to pay it all. Happened to me last year and it was an extra $175 I wasn't expecting.