Driving and delivery work generates 1099-K and 1099-NEC income that comes with self-employment tax on top of regular income tax. Mileage is the biggest deduction most drivers miss or underclaim — and the IRS pays attention to it. TaxWave helps drivers sort out back taxes, claim every legitimate deduction on amended returns, and build a plan that makes the next tax year manageable.
Tax Relief by Role
Uber Drivers
You spend hours in traffic managing ratings, surge windows, app fees, and unpredictable demand. Income arrives weekly from Uber but comes with no withholding — and a 15.3% self-employment tax bill that most new drivers don't see coming until their first tax season.
Learn more →Lyft Drivers
Driving for Lyft gives you schedule flexibility and consistent income — but Lyft doesn't withhold a dime of tax from your earnings. When tax season arrives, drivers who didn't plan often face a bill that includes self-employment tax, income tax, and underpayment penalties all at once.
Learn more →DoorDash Drivers
Dashing gives you control over your schedule and the ability to stack multiple apps — but every delivery you complete generates self-employment income that the IRS expects you to track, estimate, and pay taxes on yourself. Most Dashers don't find out how much they owe until April, and by then penalties are already building.
Learn more →Uber Eats Drivers
Delivering for Uber Eats means flexible hours and income on your terms — but Uber Eats doesn't hold back any tax on your deliveries. The 1099 arrives in January and the bill follows in April, often larger than expected when self-employment tax is included.
Learn more →Postmates Drivers
Postmates merged into Uber Eats, but tax obligations from years of Postmates delivery income don't disappear. If you have outstanding 1099 income from Postmates years — or any delivery gig — those tax balances are still collectible by the IRS.
Learn more →Grubhub Drivers
Grubhub drivers earn income as independent contractors — which means Grubhub reports every dollar to the IRS via 1099 but withholds nothing. Drivers who don't plan for quarterly estimated payments often end up with a tax bill that covers the full year all at once, plus penalties.
Learn more →Instacart Shoppers
Shopping for Instacart means running through stores, managing substitutions, loading vehicles, and racing delivery windows — all as an independent contractor. Instacart doesn't withhold tax, and the SE tax on your earnings can surprise even experienced full-service shoppers when April arrives.
Learn more →Shipt Shoppers
Shipt shoppers operate as independent contractors for Target and other retailers, earning per-order income that arrives with no withholding. Whether you shop part-time or full-time, your SE tax obligation doesn't scale down — and missing quarterly payments creates penalties that compound through the year.
Learn more →Walmart Spark Drivers
Walmart Spark drivers deliver groceries and household goods as independent contractors. Like other gig delivery platforms, Spark pays per order with no tax withholding — meaning every dollar of net profit flows directly into your SE tax bill unless you planned quarterly payments.
Learn more →Amazon Flex Drivers
Amazon Flex lets you set your schedule and earn per-block income delivering packages — but Amazon doesn't withhold a cent of tax from your payments. Flex drivers who earn consistently for a year and then ignore quarterly payments often face a multi-thousand dollar bill in April with underpayment penalties added.
Learn more →Package Delivery Drivers
Independent package delivery drivers — whether working through a Delivery Service Partner, running routes for retailers, or operating their own delivery business — generate self-employment income that comes with significant vehicle expenses and a full SE tax burden. When the books aren't clean, that burden grows.
Learn more →Courier Drivers
Courier work — whether you run legal documents, medical specimens, commercial parts, or general freight on a contract basis — is genuinely demanding business operations that happens to be run by one person in one vehicle. The IRS sees it the same way: self-employment income, full SE tax, quarterly estimated payments required.
Learn more →Truck Drivers
Owner-operators run a serious business on wheels — fuel costs, load boards, broker commissions, maintenance, permits, insurance, and financing, all while managing DOT compliance and actual driving time. Tax problems for truckers are rarely simple, and the stakes are higher than for most self-employed workers because the income and expenses are both substantial.
Learn more →Specialty Trucking Operators
Specialty freight — flatbeds, tankers, hazmat, oversized loads, refrigerated reefer units — commands premium rates and comes with premium costs: specialized equipment, permits, endorsements, and insurance premiums that general dry-van operators never deal with. The tax picture is equally specialized and can be expensive to get wrong.
Learn more →Box Truck & Cargo Van Operators
Running a box truck or cargo van for deliveries, moving, or freight puts you in a serious business with serious expenses — fuel, maintenance, insurance, permits, and financing. When taxes aren't managed through the year, those strong revenue months can produce a large April bill that's hard to absorb all at once.
Learn more →Freight Brokers & Dispatchers
Independent freight brokers and dispatchers earn commission-based income connecting carriers to shippers — and that income arrives as 1099 with no withholding. When a strong quarter comes in and quarterly estimates weren't adjusted, the resulting tax bill can feel disproportionate to how the money actually felt at the time.
Learn more →Taxi, Chauffeur & Black Car Drivers
Taxi drivers, limousine operators, and black car chauffeurs run legitimate transportation businesses, often with medallions, commercial licenses, and established client bases. The tax burden reflects that business reality — SE tax, commercial insurance, vehicle depreciation, and licensing costs all factor in — and managing them properly makes a real difference to what you keep.
Learn more →Non-Emergency Medical Transport Drivers
NEMT drivers provide a critical service — getting patients to dialysis, cancer treatment, therapy appointments, and doctor visits. It's essential, regulated, and often reimbursed through Medicaid or insurance at rates that make tracking income and expenses critical. As a contractor, every dollar of net profit carries both income tax and SE tax.
Learn more →Tow Truck Operators
Running a tow truck operation — whether you're an independent owner-operator, working a police rotation, or running a roadside contract — is a legitimate business with real capital investment in equipment. When taxes aren't managed carefully, the same equipment that generates income can become part of a tax problem if depreciation strategies and quarterly payments aren't in place.
Learn more →