Filing Taxes for Doordash and W-2 Job: What Forms Do I Need?

12 So here's the scoop - your W-4 at your retail job only controls withholding for that specific job. Unfortunately, you can't use it to withhold for your self-employment income from Uber Eats. For your delivery gig, you'll be considered an independent contractor, and Uber Eats will provide you with a 1099-NEC (assuming you earn $600+). You won't file the 1099 itself - that's just the form you receive showing your earnings. You'll report that income on Schedule C of your 1040. The 1040 is your main tax return form that everyone files. Your W-2 income from retail and your self-employment income both go on this one form, just in different sections. You'll also need to complete Schedule SE to calculate your self-employment tax (which covers your Social Security and Medicare contributions).

7 I was in the exact same boat last year - working at a coffee shop while doing DoorDash on weekends and breaks. The tax stuff was super confusing until I found this site called https://taxr.ai that literally saved me hours of frustration. They have this special tool that analyzes your 1099 and W-2 together and shows exactly what deductions you can take as a delivery driver. The biggest thing I learned was tracking mileage - it's a HUGE deduction. I was actually getting ready to file without claiming any car expenses until their system flagged it and saved me like $800! They also explained how to handle having both types of income without messing up my return.

9 Just wanted to follow up - I ended up checking out https://taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and wow, it was seriously helpful. I uploaded my W-2 and some DoorDash earnings statements and it automatically calculated my potential tax liability. The system pointed out I could deduct part of my phone bill since I use it for the delivery app, which I had no idea about! They even generated a simple spreadsheet for tracking mileage and other expenses that I can use throughout the year. Definitely recommend for anyone working both regular and gig jobs.

15 If you're worried about tax stuff, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) if you need to talk to the IRS. I had a complete mess with my taxes last year when I was doing both employee work and gig driving. I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS on my own with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the typical 2+ hour wait. They have this system that basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent walked me through exactly how to handle my situation with both W-2 and 1099 income, and they even helped me set up a payment plan when I realized I owed more than expected.

23 I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I had questions about my gig work taxes that weren't covered in the IRS guides. It actually worked exactly as described - I filled out their form, got a text when they were starting the call process, and about 25 minutes later got connected directly to an IRS representative. No navigating phone trees, no hours of hold music. The agent answered all my questions about handling both W-2 and 1099 income and helped me understand how to properly categorize my delivery expenses. I've already recommended it to two friends who are also doing gig work - definitely worth it during tax season.

11 Quick tip for anyone doing delivery driving - KEEP TRACK OF YOUR MILEAGE FROM DAY ONE! I didn't realize how important this was when I started driving for UberEats last year, and I probably lost out on hundreds in deductions. There are free apps that can help you track this automatically. Also, set aside about 25-30% of what you make from deliveries for taxes. It sounds like a lot but remember you're paying both income tax AND self-employment tax on that money.

21 One other thing to consider - doing delivery work might affect your financial aid package if you're getting any for university. The extra income could potentially reduce your aid eligibility for the next academic year. Might want to check with your school's financial aid office about how that works before diving in.

Great question about financial aid! For FAFSA purposes, there's actually a student income protection allowance of around $7,040 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This means you can earn up to that amount without it affecting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) at all. However, once you go over that threshold, about 50% of your additional income will be counted toward your EFC, which could reduce your aid eligibility. The exact impact depends on your total family income and circumstances. The good news is that business expenses (like mileage deductions for delivery driving) reduce your Adjusted Gross Income, so they help keep you under the threshold. If you're planning to do delivery work just during breaks, you might be able to stay within the protected amount anyway. Definitely worth having a conversation with your financial aid office before you start - they can run some scenarios to show you exactly how different income levels might affect your aid package.