Analyze official rules and instructions to complete a Schedule C and related required tax forms, to reflect income and deductions related to self-employment as a sole proprietor.
Note: Completing a tax form requires specific steps that need to be executed in a sequence. The assessments in this course are presented in a sequence and must be completed in order. Incorrect entries in previous assessments will result in incorrect entries in future assessments. Do not complete Assessment 2 until you have submitted and received faculty feedback for Assessment 1.
“The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”— Ronald Reagan.
If an individual is searching for a tax strategy to offset his or her income from a primary job, being self-employed on the side is quite possibly one of the best options, along with being a real estate property owner or an investor. Each of these has the advantage of allowing an individual to reduce current income by any losses suffered from freelancing, renting out a property, or investing.
However, the individual takes on additional work for the filing process. Schedule C must be completed, a task that requires an individual to know much more about the tax rules for recognizing income and maximizing expenses than many persons are willing to invest the time to research.
The use of Schedule C is required when the individual’s business is not incorporated or formed as a partnership or limited liability company.
Note: The assessments in this course are presented in a sequence and must be completed in order. In Assessments 2-5, you will work step-by-step toward completing a 1040 tax return and all the necessary related forms, based on a provided scenario. Do not complete Assessment 2 until you have submitted and received faculty feedback for Assessment 1.
Calculating correct entries for self-employment requires significant research. For those are who self-employed, entries from self-employment tax forms are necessary to complete the 1040 form.
For this assessment, use information and publications from IRS.gov and the other IRS resources linked below to research the regulations and complete the appropriate self-employment schedules, based on the provided scenario:
Jacob Weaver is a contractor operating as a sole proprietorship (EIN 12-3456789). 2021 Gross income: $278,322.25.
Complete the following:
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria: