Schedule C — profit or loss from a business
Schedule C is filed with your own Form 1040, so it is completed in tax software, by a preparer, or on the IRS’s free fillable PDF. There is nothing to generate — but your figures need to come from good records.
Schedule C (PDF)The free ways to do it
The IRS’s fillable Schedule C
Free from the IRS, and filed with your Form 1040.
Schedule C (PDF)File free if you qualify
IRS Free File offers no-cost tax software for eligible filers, and most tax software walks you through Schedule C.
IRS Free FileKeep a record of what you pay yourself
Self-employed people often keep pay stubs for their own books. Our generator makes them from the figures you enter — for your records, not as third-party proof.
Make a self-employed pay stubFrequently Asked Questions
Who needs to file Schedule C?
Use Schedule C (Form 1040) to report income or loss from a business you operated or a profession you practiced as a sole proprietor.
Do I need Schedule C for a side business?
Usually yes. Freelance work, gig driving and other side businesses run as a sole proprietor are generally reported on Schedule C, with your expenses deducted against the income.