How to declare $185 earned from SAT proctoring on taxes? Where to report it in TurboTax?

Thanks for the info! So just to clarify, since it's under $400, I don't need to do all that Schedule C business? I was worried I'd have to fill out a bunch of business expense forms for such a small amount. Also, will this affect my refund a lot? I'm just a student with a part-time job so my income is already pretty low.

You're right that you don't need to file Schedule C for this small amount. Since it's under $400, you avoid self-employment taxes and all the business expense reporting. Just report it as "Other Income" and TurboTax will put it on Schedule 1. As for how much it affects your refund, that depends on your overall tax situation. At most, you'd pay your marginal tax rate on that $185. If you're in the 10% bracket, that's only about $18.50 in taxes. If you're in the 12% bracket, it would be around $22.20. Not a huge hit for most people.

Wait, does this actually work for complicated tax situations? I do SAT proctoring plus I drive for Uber and have some stock investments. Would it help with figuring out all those different income streams?

Idk sounds like another tax service trying to charge money for something you can figure out yourself. What makes it different from just using the TurboTax help section or googling?

For complicated tax situations with multiple income streams like yours, it's especially helpful. It can identify how to properly categorize each type of income (W-2, 1099, miscellaneous) and show you which forms you need. It's particularly good at finding deductions you might miss for your Uber driving expenses. What makes it different from just Googling is it analyzes your specific situation rather than giving generic advice. The TurboTax help section is good, but I found it doesn't always address unusual situations clearly. The AI tool actually looks at your specific scenario and provides customized guidance rather than making you piece together information from different sources.

How does this even work? The IRS phone system is completely broken - I've tried calling about my missing refund like 10 times and never get through. Are you saying this service somehow jumps the queue?

Sounds too good to be true honestly. The IRS is completely understaffed and overwhelmed. I'll believe this works when I see it. No way some random service can magically get through when millions of people can't.

It doesn't jump the queue - it just handles the frustrating part of navigating the phone system and waiting on hold for you. You still get your place in line, but their system waits on hold instead of you having to do it yourself. They call you when an actual human IRS agent is on the line ready to talk. The reason it works is simply technology - they have systems that can stay on hold and detect when a human answers, then they connect you. It's not magic, just a smart way to avoid wasting hours of your day listening to hold music. The IRS is definitely understaffed, but calls do eventually get answered - this just lets you go about your day until that happens.

Won't you get flagged for an audit if you claim business expenses for such a small amount of income? I'm nervous about anything that might trigger extra IRS attention.

The amount of income doesn't determine whether deductions are valid - it's whether the expenses are legitimate and necessary for earning that income. If you have proper documentation for your expenses, there's no reason to worry. Claiming reasonable, documented business expenses against income you've properly reported actually shows you're being thorough and transparent. The IRS is much more concerned with people who don't report income at all or who claim excessive deductions without documentation. Keep your receipts, be honest about your expenses, and you'll be fine.

You don't need to report the value of meals provided during work hours on the work premises as taxable income. The IRS considers this a de minimis fringe benefit (meaning minimal value). The pizza and drinks you got during your SAT proctoring shift fall under this exception.