What Records to Keep for Gig Work Taxes

Use the free tool — Side-Income Tax Planner

Why records matter for side work

Driving, delivering, cleaning, cutting hair, freelancing — nobody withholds tax for you. If you don't keep records all year, April becomes a scramble. Good records turn tax time into a form, not a surprise.

What to track

Miles — track every mile you drive for the work, not just the trips with a passenger or delivery.
What you earn from each side job — driving, delivering, cleaning, cutting hair, freelancing, or anything else.
What you spend to do the work — this feeds the deductions on Schedule C.
Whether you also have a W-2 job, since that changes your overall picture.

The forms behind the numbers

Gig income is generally reported on Schedule C, and self-employment tax is calculated on Schedule SE. If you expect to owe tax, you may need to send in payments during the year using Form 1040-ES. These are IRS forms — the rules and rates change, so confirm current details with the IRS or a tax professional.

Setting money aside

Because nobody withholds from side income, many gig workers move a percentage of each payout straight to savings so the money is there when it's owed. A plan built from your own numbers can suggest a percentage to set aside and calculate a quarterly estimated-payment amount tied to four due dates during the year. This material doesn't list the specific percentage or exact dates — those depend on your numbers and on IRS guidance for the current year.

What we don't know

This page can't tell you your exact set-aside percentage, your exact quarterly amount, or the specific four due dates — those depend on your numbers and on current IRS rules. It also doesn't say whether any tool that calculates these numbers for you stores or saves what you type. Ask directly if that matters to you.

What to do next

Side-Income Tax Planner reads your own numbers — what you make and what you spend on your side work — and turns them into a plan: a percentage to set aside each week, a quarterly estimated-payment amount, the four due dates, and the deductions most gig workers miss. Your first plan is free. This is an estimate based on current IRS rates, not tax advice, and it doesn't know your full return — confirm with a tax professional or the IRS before relying on it.

Use the free tool

Side-Income Tax Planner is an educational estimating tool based on publicly available IRS guidance (Schedule C, Schedule SE, Form 1040-ES). It is not tax, legal or financial advice, does not prepare or file returns, and cannot account for your complete tax situation; rates and thresholds change each year. Consult a qualified tax professional. It is not affiliated with the IRS or any gig platform.