Know the record. Then make the form.

How to read a pay stub

Understand pay periods, earnings, deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals with an annotated fictional statement and a review checklist.

How to get pay stubs from your employer

Find employer-issued pay statements, request missing periods and check alternatives when a recipient needs income records.

Gross pay vs. net pay: a worked example

See how earnings and itemized deductions reconcile to take-home pay, and why taxable wages can differ from gross pay.

Taxpayer & identity

How to fill out Form W-9

Review the W-9 name, classification, address and TIN fields, including LLC considerations and common mistakes.

W-9 vs. 1099: who completes each and why

Compare taxpayer identification with payment reporting, and follow the records from a W-9 to a 1099-NEC.

1099-NEC vs. 1099-MISC: choose by payment type

Distinguish service compensation from rents and other MISC categories, with dated 2025/2026 reporting-threshold context.

Self-employed proof of income: build a reliable record set

Organize invoices, deposits, bookkeeping and tax records without presenting invented employer payroll as business income proof.

Tax forms for self-employed people: a preparation map

See how Schedule C, Schedule SE, Form 1040 and supporting forms relate, and what records each task requires.

1099-NEC recipient copies and IRS filing are separate tasks

Understand Formz’s Copy B and Copy 2 output, why downloadable Copy A is different, and the steps after preparing a PDF.

W-2 vs. 1099: worker status comes first

Compare wage reporting with nonemployee compensation reporting without treating a form choice as worker classification.

W-2 vs. paystub: reconcile the right totals

Compare a pay-period earnings statement with annual wage reporting and understand why gross and W-2 wage boxes can differ.

Schedule C records checklist

Gather and reconcile business income, expenses, inventory, vehicle and asset records before entering Schedule C.