Schedule C is a tax form used by self-employed individuals and small business owners to report their profit or loss from their business activities. The form is part of the individual income tax return, Form 1040, and is used to report income and expenses from a sole proprietorship, a single-member LLC, or a partnership that files as a disregarded entity.

The Profit and Loss section of Schedule C is used to report the financial performance of the business during the tax year. This section requires the taxpayer to report all business income and deductible expenses incurred in the course of operating the business. Some of the common deductible expenses that can be reported on Schedule C include business supplies, rent or mortgage payments, advertising expenses, travel expenses, and employee wages.

The Profit and Loss section of Schedule C is organized into different categories of income and expenses, such as Gross Receipts or Sales, Cost of Goods Sold, Advertising, Car and Truck Expenses, Depreciation and Section 179 Deduction, and so on. Taxpayers must fill out these sections accurately and completely, and may also need to attach additional schedules or documentation to support their figures.

By completing Schedule C and reporting their business income and expenses, self-employed individuals and small business owners can determine their net profit or loss for the year, which is then used to calculate their income tax liability. It is important to note that Schedule C filers are responsible for paying self-employment taxes on their net income, in addition to federal income tax.