Doordash Taxes Without a 1099-NEC - Reporting Small Income
Hey everyone! I'm in college with a couple of part-time gigs and did some Doordash deliveries during summer break. I only earned $295 total from Doordash, so they didn't send me a 1099-NEC form. I'm using HR Block right now, but I'm wondering if I seriously have to pay $40 for their deluxe version just to report this tiny amount of money? Or is there a way to report this small income using their free version? Doordash did provide me with mileage estimates, but that's literally all I got from them since I made under their reporting threshold. If TurboTax or some other software lets me do this for free, I'd be happy to switch. Just seems ridiculous to pay $40 to report less than $300 in income lol. Any suggestions?
18 comments
Join the conversation
Malik Johnson
Even though you didn't receive a 1099-NEC, you're still legally required to report ALL income regardless of how small the amount is. The IRS threshold for Doordash to send you a 1099-NEC is $600, but that doesn't change your obligation to report the income. For your situation, you'd report this as self-employment income on Schedule C. The good news is you can deduct your mileage expenses against this income, which could significantly reduce your taxable amount. The standard mileage deduction rate is substantial, so depending on how many miles you drove, you might end up with very little taxable income from this gig.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•But do they actually need to pay for the deluxe version just to report this? Like isn't there a free option somewhere? Also does self employment tax apply to such a small amount??
0 coins
Malik Johnson
•Yes, unfortunately most free versions don't support Schedule C filing, which is required for self-employment income regardless of the amount. Self-employment tax does technically apply to any amount of self-employment income over $400, but since you're under that threshold, you wouldn't owe SE tax in this case. You might want to look into FreeTaxUSA or Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) as they offer free filing that includes Schedule C. Both would allow you to report your Doordash income and mileage deductions without paying for an upgrade.
0 coins
Ravi Sharma
Similar situation happened to me last year! I found that using taxr.ai https://taxr.ai actually helped solve this exact problem. I had gig work under the reporting threshold and was getting frustrated with the upgrade fees on the major tax platforms. It helped me identify exactly what forms I needed and how to report the income correctly without having to pay for premium versions of the big tax software. The system analyzed my situation and gave me specific instructions for reporting small self-employment income without a 1099. Super helpful when dealing with these weird tax situations that fall into gray areas.
0 coins
Freya Thomsen
•Wait how does this actually work? Does it file your taxes for you or just tell you how to do it?
0 coins
Omar Zaki
•I'm interested but skeptical. How does it handle mileage deductions without a formal 1099? I've been burned before by "free" tax services that end up charging at the end.
0 coins
Ravi Sharma
•It doesn't file your taxes for you - it analyzes your situation and gives you step-by-step guidance on how to report everything correctly. You still use your preferred filing method, but now you know exactly what to do. For mileage deductions, it walks you through exactly how to claim them even without a 1099. The service helped me understand that my records of business mileage (screenshots, logs, etc.) are valid for deduction purposes regardless of whether I received official forms. And it's actually free for basic situations - I didn't hit any surprise paywalls when dealing with my small gig income question.
0 coins
Omar Zaki
Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after my skeptical comment. It actually worked perfectly for my situation! I had almost the exact same issue (made about $350 on Uber Eats without getting a 1099) and was able to file properly without paying for premium tax software. The site analyzed my situation and recommended FreeTaxUSA which let me file Schedule C for free. It even showed me exactly how to enter my mileage deduction to maximize my write-offs. Saved me from paying the $40 "upgrade fee" that TurboTax wanted to charge. Definitely recommend for anyone with small self-employment income!
0 coins
AstroAce
If you're still struggling to reach the IRS for clarification on this, I had amazing results using Claimyr https://claimyr.com to actually get through to a real person at the IRS. I was in a similar situation with unreported gig work and needed to clarify some things. I spent HOURS on hold before discovering this. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c but basically it navigates the IRS phone system and calls you when an agent is ready. I was so frustrated trying to get someone on the phone to answer my question about reporting small gig income, but this service saved me from the endless hold times.
0 coins
Chloe Martin
•Wait, this actually works? How is that even possible? I've literally given up trying to call the IRS because it's impossible to get through.
0 coins
Diego Rojas
•Sorry but this sounds like BS. Nothing can get you through to the IRS faster. They're just going to take your money and you'll still be waiting forever.
0 coins
AstroAce
•Yes, it actually works! It uses a system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets a human, then it calls you. I was skeptical too until I tried it. Basically it does the waiting for you instead of you having to stay on hold. I understand the skepticism completely! I felt the same way until I tried it. It connected me within about 45 minutes while I was going about my day instead of me sitting on hold for hours. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed I didn't need to file Schedule C since I was under $400 in my specific situation, which saved me from paying for tax software upgrades.
0 coins
Diego Rojas
Holy crap, I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it, I was still stuck trying to figure out my similar DoorDash situation and decided to give it a shot out of desperation. It actually connected me to an IRS representative in about 30 minutes! The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to do with my small delivery income (just under $500) and answered all my questions about mileage deductions. I'd been trying for DAYS to get through on my own with no luck. Honestly shocked this service actually delivered what it promised.
0 coins
Anastasia Sokolov
I was in the exact same boat last year! Made like $275 with Uber Eats. If you have other income from W-2 jobs, you can actually report this small amount on Line 8z of Schedule 1 (Additional Income and Adjustments to Income) labeled as "other income" and briefly describe it as "gig work" or "delivery income" - no Schedule C needed if you're not claiming any expenses. But if you want to deduct your mileage (which you probably should), then yeah, you'd need Schedule C and most free versions don't support that. FreeTaxUSA is your best bet - totally free for federal filing including Schedule C, you only pay like $15 for state filing.
0 coins
Sean O'Donnell
•Can you really put it on line 8z though? I thought all self-employment income HAD to go on Schedule C regardless of the amount? That's what my friend who does accounting told me.
0 coins
Anastasia Sokolov
•For very small amounts without expenses, the IRS has allowed this simplified reporting method. If you're claiming expenses though (like mileage), you absolutely need Schedule C. I should clarify though - the "proper" way is Schedule C, and that's what most tax pros will recommend to be 100% compliant. The line 8z approach is more of a practical solution for tiny amounts where you're not claiming deductions. Schedule C is definitely the correct technical answer for any self-employment income.
0 coins
Zara Ahmed
Has anyone actually got audited for not reporting a tiny amount like this? I made $180 from Doordash last year and just didn't bother reporting it... am I going to jail lol?
0 coins
StarStrider
•The chances of being audited for missing $180 are extremely low, but technically yes, you're supposed to report all income. The IRS generally has bigger fish to fry than chasing tiny unreported amounts, but it's still not the right approach. Maybe report it correctly this year?
0 coins