Printable log
Side-income record log
Print this page and fill it in by hand through the year. It has one row for each payment you receive, with the date, who paid you, the amount, and any cost that belongs to that job. There is nothing to type and nothing is saved, so no income details ever leave your hands.
| Date received | Source (who paid you) | Amount received | Related expense | Notes (invoice no., receipt kept?) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page total | ||||
Records support what you report
The numbers on a return should be backed by records. A log like this, plus bank statements, invoices and receipts, is what you would reach for if you ever needed to show where a figure came from. Record income whether or not a payer sends you a form, because income is reportable either way. This is general information, not tax advice.
How to fill it in
Write the date the money reached you, not the date of the job. Under Source, name the person or business that paid you, or the app or marketplace if the money came through one. Under Amount received, write the whole amount you were paid for that entry. If a platform kept a fee or a tip arrived separately, write down what you were paid and note the fee or tip so the totals can be matched to a statement later. Under Related expense, write the cost of something bought for that job, such as supplies, and keep the receipt.
Why a log helps
Side income often arrives from several places in small pieces. Payers may send an information form for some of it, and none for the rest, and the forms may not match your own totals. A running log lets you compare your own records with each form you receive, spot a difference early and ask the payer for a correction before filing. It also makes the end of the year much faster, and it is the same set of figures a tax professional or a free preparation site will ask for.
What this log does not do
It does not work out how much tax you owe, whether an expense is allowed, or how an expense should be treated on a return. Those depend on the rules for your tax year and your own facts. IRS Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business, and Publication 535, Business Expenses, explain how business income and costs are treated. IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records, covers what records to keep and how.
Where this comes from
The columns follow the basic recordkeeping advice in IRS Publication 583 and Publication 552, Recordkeeping for Individuals: keep proof of income and of expenses, and organize it by date. No part of this page was tested by the site owner, and the owner is not a tax professional.
Where to get help
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) offers free basic return preparation for people who qualify.
- The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS that helps with problems that are not resolved through normal channels.
- A licensed tax professional can look at your records and your whole situation.