1099 expense tracker for freelancers

If you get 1099s as a freelancer or contractor, tax time is much easier when income, expenses and miles are logged all year in one place.

The Small Business Bookkeeping spreadsheet is made for US sole proprietors and freelancers. Log money in, money out and business miles, and it builds a monthly profit and loss, a Schedule C summary by line and a dashboard with net profit, margin and missing receipts. Each expense category maps to a Schedule C line you choose, and meals are tracked at the full and 50% deductible amounts.

To track clients, hours and unpaid invoices too, add the Freelancer Invoice & Client Tracker; both are in the Small Business & Landlord Bundle. Works in Excel and Google Sheets. Not tax advice; check with a tax professional.

What you get

You get two files, a blank template and a filled-in example, plus a Start Here guide. Open them in Microsoft Excel, or upload them to Google Drive and open them with Google Sheets (free). You type in the input cells; the formulas, totals and charts update themselves.

Tips

• Log expenses weekly and mark whether you have the receipt.
• Record business miles on the day you drive them.
• Review the Schedule C summary each quarter before estimated tax payments.