Reporting self-employment to Cali EDD--update I got through to them!

[desertdarlene]

I've been asking around on different forums related to unemployment and reporting self-employment on my claim form, but no one seems to know.

I do a small amount of freelance work while I am looking for a full-time job. I have to report this to EDD on my claim forms every week I earn money. At first, I was told to put "self" in the employer box, but the forms were sent back to me when I did that. Now, I am told to put my name and address as the employer in the box. However, I'm not sure about it because someone put "self employed" and his own address in the employer box and it came back to him. Another site said to put the client's name and address (the payor) in the employer's box, but I know someone got into big trouble because she was not an employee but an independent contractor.

So, has anyone experience with doing small amounts of self-employment and reporting the income to California EDD?

 

[desertdarlene]

Oh well, no one else anywhere seems to know, either. Including people at the EDD office.

 

[wolftracks]

I think it's an interesting question so giving you a bump

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
If you are doing contract work for another company, they will send you a 1099. 1099 is a federal form that is fileable with your 540. If you are doing it as a service from yourself to another, you will report on your 540 form.

In either case, if you made less than $600 total, it is non-reportable anyways. BUT, if you made less than $600 from several people and it totals over $600, it is reportable, again on your 540.

 

[desertdarlene]

Thanks for the replies and the information.

Actually, I'm trying to report my earnings to EDD for my unemployment check. I have my taxes under control as I used to have my own business before I was unemployed. But, I have to report everything I've earned to EDD in order to be on the up and up with them.

If they would just make it easier to report self-employment without having to have forms sent back or eligibility interviews, I would think that more people would report their self-employment income to them.

 

[Dunkopf]

I'm not anti govt at all. However the bureaucratic stuff is ridiculous. Trying to get anything done through the state or federal govt is close to impossible unless you have done it before and know the tricks. Like everything out there now, you can't get a human on the phone and if you do they quickly transfer you to another machine. Good luck, don't give up though. You'll be the 1 in a million people person that they cancel benefits on over a 1.00 mistake.

 

[desertdarlene]

I actually reported some self-employment income a few weeks ago and it was a HUGE hassle and my check was two weeks late, too. First, they sent the forms back saying they were filled our wrong (hence the question that I had posted) and then I had to call several people to clean things up. Everyone was very nice at EDD and helpful, but when I asked the question about how to report my income, I could sense that they didn't have the right answer or weren't sure.

I'm nervous because the rent is due soon and my claim expires, soon. I would rather not delay my check. I'm sure I'll get the money, but I will be reporting this income almost every week and I don't want to delay my check each time I file a claim form.

And, this can't be reported under the table as I have a W-9 with this employer and have already been reported as an independent contractor.

 

[debilorrah]

Ms. Desert, all you have to do is write in "Self-Employed" and the amount you made on the sheet you turn back in to EDD.

 

[desertdarlene]

Quote:
I did that and they sent the form back to me. I was told over the phone to put my name and address as the "employer". But, I've heard of people having problems with that, too.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I did that and they sent the form back to me. I was told over the phone to put my name and address as the "employer". But, I've heard of people having problems with that, too.

I work for a public entity and I can tell you at a minimum, the employees of the EDD were trained by Monkeys in Japan.

Follow their instructions. It's all you can do. If they keep sending it back, stop putting it in there and report on your 540.