Checklist of documents to bring (or have ready) when filing your 2025 taxes as an Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Grubhub, or any delivery/rideshare 1099-NEC gig worker with a professional tax preparer like Lucita Accounting Firm.

You are considered self-employed (independent contractor), so you’ll report income on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) and pay self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare). Even if you don’t receive every 1099 form, you must report all income — the IRS gets copies of what platforms send!

Not every item applies to everyone — bring what you have, and we’ll maximize deductions (especially mileage — often your biggest write-off!).

1. Personal & Basic Identification

• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport).

• Social Security card or official SSN/ITIN verification.

• Bank account & routing numbers (for direct deposit of your refund).

• Prior year’s tax return (2024 Form 1040 + Schedule C — helps with carryovers & accuracy).

2. Income Documents (All Earnings from Gig Platforms in 2025)

• Form 1099-NEC — from Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Grubhub, etc. (issued if $600+ in bonuses, referrals, promotions, non-ride earnings, or nonemployee compensation).

• Form 1099-K — from platforms (reports gross customer payments; threshold often $20,000 + 200 transactions in 2025 — check your app’s tax center).

• Annual Tax Summary / Earnings Report — download from each app (Uber Tax Center, Lyft Tax Info, DoorDash Earnings, Instacart Tax Documents, etc.). This shows total gross earnings, tips, fees, bonuses — crucial even without a 1099!

• Bank statements or payment app records (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App) showing deposits from gig work (if no 1099 issued).

• Any other 1099s (e.g., 1099-MISC if applicable).

Important: Report ALL income — even cash tips, direct payments, or earnings under thresholds. Platforms report to IRS, so we match everything.

3. Expense & Deduction Documentation (These Lower Your Taxable Income!)

Mileage & Vehicle Expenses (biggest deduction for drivers/delivery — choose standard mileage or actual expenses):

• Detailed mileage log (date, start/end location, business miles, purpose — app exports or apps like Stride, Hurdlr, MileIQ work great).

• Total business miles driven in 2025 (platform summaries often provide this).

• If using actual expenses instead: receipts for gas, oil changes, tires, repairs, car insurance, registration, car wash, depreciation info (purchase/lease docs).

Other Common Gig Deductions (bring proof!):

• Phone & internet bills (business portion — e.g., data used for apps).

• Car-related fees (tolls, parking, Uber/Lyft platform fees deducted from pay).

• Car maintenance & repairs receipts.

• Car insurance statements (business use portion).

• Supplies (delivery bags, hot bags, phone mount, safety items).

• Health insurance premiums (if self-employed and paying your own).

• Home office (if you use part of your home for admin — rare but possible; square footage proof).

• Receipts for any business-related purchases (snacks/water for long shifts if deductible, professional fees).

4. Other Key Items

• Records of quarterly estimated tax payments made (Form 1040-ES vouchers or online confirmations — avoids underpayment penalties).

• Any IRS or state notices/letters received in 2025.

• If you have other income (W-2 job, side gigs) — bring those docs too.

• Access to your app accounts or PDFs/screenshots of earnings (upload via our secure client portal).

Pro Tip from Lucita Accounting Firm: Gig workers like Uber/Lyft/DoorDash drivers often overpay taxes because they miss mileage deductions — accurate logs can save thousands! Organize digitally (scans/photos/PDFs from apps) and upload everything to our portal before your appointment. No log?

We can help reconstruct using platform data + bank records.

Ready to maximize your refund and file stress-free? Book your 15-Min Ready-to-File Tax Question Session or full preparation today at lucitaaccountingfirm.com or call (770) 873-0040 / (770) 319-9181. We’re experts with gig economy and trucking clients — let’s get your 2025 return done right!