Internal Revenue Service (IRS) · United States (federal)
Form Schedule C (Form 1040): Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship)
Current revision: Tax year 2025 (checked on irs.gov, Oct 15, 2026)
Fill in the IRS Schedule C for tax year 2025: business income, expenses, cost of goods sold and vehicle use. Net profit flows to Schedule 1 and Schedule SE.
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Form
Schedule C (Form 1040)
- Issued by
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Applies in
- United States (federal)
- Edition
- Tax year 2025
Official source
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What it is
What Form Schedule C (Form 1040) is for
Schedule C reports the income and expenses of a business you operate as a sole proprietor, including freelance and gig work and single-member LLCs that are disregarded for tax. It attaches to Form 1040. The net profit on line 31 is taxed as income and usually also subject to self-employment tax.
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Who files it
- Sole proprietors and freelancers
- Single-member LLC owners whose LLC is a disregarded entity
- Gig workers paid through apps or platforms
- Statutory employees reporting wages and expenses
What you need
- Gross receipts, including amounts on Forms 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC and 1099-K
- Records of business expenses by category
- Inventory figures if you sell products
- Business mileage and vehicle details
- Home office square footage (Form 8829 or the simplified method)
- Your EIN if you have one, and your principal business code
Line by line
How to fill out Form Schedule C (Form 1040)
- 1
Lines A–J — Business information
Enter the business activity and six-digit principal business code, business name and EIN, accounting method, whether you materially participated, and whether you made payments that required filing 1099s.
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Part I — Income (lines 1–7)
Report gross receipts on line 1, subtract returns and cost of goods sold, and add other income. Line 7 is gross income.
- 3
Part II — Expenses (lines 8–27)
Enter expenses in each category, such as advertising, car and truck, contract labor, insurance, supplies and utilities. Line 28 totals expenses before home office.
- 4
Line 30 — Business use of home
Enter the home office deduction using Form 8829 or the simplified method. Don't report these expenses anywhere else.
- 5
Line 31 — Net profit or loss
Subtract line 30 from line 29. A profit goes to Schedule 1 (Form 1040) and Schedule SE; a loss may be limited by at-risk rules on line 32.
- 6
Parts III–V
Complete cost of goods sold if you sell products, vehicle information if you claim car or truck expenses, and list other expenses not covered on lines 8–27a.
Where to send it
Attach Schedule C to your Form 1040, 1040-SR or 1040-NR and file them together — by e-file or at the paper-return address for your state (https://www.irs.gov/filing/where-to-file-paper-tax-returns-with-or-without-a-payment). Schedule C is not filed on its own.
Filing rules change. Confirm the address or portal on irs.gov before you send.
Form Schedule C (Form 1040): questions people ask
Do I need a separate Schedule C for each business?
Yes. File a separate Schedule C for each sole proprietorship. Spouses who each run a business file their own.
Do I report income that wasn't on a 1099?
Yes. All business income is reportable, whether or not you received a 1099. Payers only issue 1099-NEC above the reporting threshold.
Can my LLC use Schedule C?
A single-member LLC that hasn't elected to be taxed as a corporation reports on Schedule C. Multi-member LLCs file a partnership return instead.
What causes IRS questions?
Income that doesn't match the 1099s the IRS received, large round-number expenses without records, and personal expenses claimed as business. Keep receipts and logs.
Is this the form for 2026 income?
No. The IRS currently posts the 2025 Schedule C. Use the 2026 version once it's released for income earned in 2026.