Free legal check ✦

Is your hustle legally protected?

Plain-English answers on your taxes, licenses, and structure. Free check, optional $5 full report. No lawyer, no jargon.

Check my hustle → See how it works

Updated May 2026 for the latest IRS tax codes and OBBBA regulations.

For digital sellers
What we check for digital products
  • Schedule C and self-employment tax math
  • Sales tax: marketplace facilitator vs your own store
  • 1099-K thresholds and how to reconcile platform reports
60s free check · all 50 states

Most side hustlers become self-employed the moment they make their first sale, which means self-employment tax, quarterly estimated payments, and state-specific licenses that most people don't know about until they get a surprise bill. SideHustleGuard checks all of it in 60 seconds, free, in plain English. No accountant or lawyer required.

Protected in 60 seconds.

Tell us your hustle

Pick your hustle, state, and income. No account, no signup.

We analyze it

Your situation runs against the actual rules for your state and platform.

Get your score

Color-coded compliance score, your top 3 issues, plain-English explanations.

Unlock your plan

The $5 report adds an action plan, deadlines, and a deduction checklist.

Everything you actually need to know.

Tax obligations

Self-employment tax, quarterly payments, and 1099 thresholds, with the dollar numbers for your income range.

Quarterly tax guide →
Business structure

Sole prop, LLC, or S-corp: which fits your income, and what it means for taxes and liability.

LLC vs Sole Proprietor →
Sales tax rules

Marketplace facilitator coverage on Etsy and Amazon, and where your own store still owes.

Etsy seller tax guide →
Missed deductions

Home office, health insurance, QBI, and the everyday deductions side hustlers leave on the table.

Full deduction checklist →
Deadlines & due dates

Quarterly tax dates and annual filings, surfaced before they hit so nothing's a surprise.

Quarterly tax guide →

Beyond the check: a free knowledge library.

Plain-English guides + interactive tools for every kind of side hustle. The $5 report is one slice; the rest is free, no signup, yours forever.

18 Interactive tools Calculators, swipers, deadlines
67 In-depth guides Plain-English, no jargon
$0 Forever No signup, no upsells
Tool
Quarterly Tax Calculator

Exactly how much to set aside and pay each quarter: SE tax + federal + state.

→ Tool
Crypto Tax Calculator

Short-term + long-term gains, NIIT, state, with a hold-to-LTCG scenario.

→ Checklist
Tax Deduction Checklist

Every deduction you might miss, personalized to your hustle type.

→ 8 guides
Freelancers & consultants

Quarterly taxes, LLC vs sole prop, S-corp timing, missed deductions.

→ 28 guides
Short-term rentals

Airbnb, VRBO, STR loophole, depreciation, 14-day rule, state-by-state.

→ 50 states
State tax rates

SE tax + income tax thresholds for every US state, side-by-side.

→
Browse all free resources →
Pricing

Simple, honest pricing.

Start free and see your score. Unlock the complete report for $5. One payment, no subscription, yours forever.

Free
$0
always free · no card needed
Legal check & overall score
See how protected you are
Top 3 issues flagged
Know your biggest risks
Structure recommendation
Sole prop, LLC, or S-corp
Full issue breakdown
Unlock with full report
Personalized action plan
Unlock with full report
Tax deadline calendar
Unlock with full report
Deduction checklist
Unlock with full report
PDF download
Unlock with full report
Check my hustle →
Most complete · $5
Full report
$5
one-time · no subscription ever
Everything in Free
Score, top issues, structure rec
Full breakdown of every issue
Plain-English + risk level for each
Personalized action plan
Do this first, then this, then this
Tax deadline calendar
Your specific due dates for the year
Deduction checklist
Every deduction you qualify for
PDF download
Save it, share it with your CPA
All 50 states covered
State-specific rules baked in
No subscription. Ever.
Pay once, yours forever
Unlock full report →
What a CPA typically charges
$250+
For the same information,
billed by the hour
vs
Your full report
$5
Same clarity in 60 seconds,
formatted & ready to share

No subscription. No recurring charges. Pay once, get your report. That's it.

See what's inside.

A real, personalized document, not a generic checklist. Every section is tailored to your hustle type, your state, and your income level.

  • Color-coded compliance score (0-100)
  • Every issue explained in plain English
  • Prioritized action plan: do this first
  • Your specific tax deadlines for the year
  • Deductions you're likely leaving behind
  • PDF ready to share with your CPA
Full Report
Hustle type
Freelance Design
State
California
Next deadline
Jun 15, 2026
62
Compliance
3
Issues found
4
Deductions
Issues found
Quarterly taxes not being paid
You likely owe estimated payments. Missing them triggers IRS penalties on top of what you owe.
No business license on file
California requires a city license for freelancers. Operating without one risks fines.
Home office deduction unclaimed
You qualify for the simplified method: $5/sq ft up to 300 sq ft.
Tax Deadline Calendar
Jun 15
Q2 estimated payment due
Next
Sep 15
Q3 estimated payment due
Jan 15
Q4 estimated payment due

Common questions.

Still not sure? Here are the things people ask before checking their hustle.

Yes. Etsy sellers are self-employed the moment they make their first sale. That means self-employment tax, potential quarterly payments, and state-specific rules most sellers don't know about until they get a surprise bill. A 60-second check can save you from a very bad tax season.
That's actually the best time to use this. Setting up correctly from day one is much easier than fixing problems later. We'll tell you exactly what to set up now so you're protected before the money starts coming in.
The $5 report is a complete, personalized compliance document, not a generic checklist. It covers every issue found, includes a prioritized action plan, a tax deadline calendar for your year, a deduction checklist specific to your hustle type, and a downloadable PDF to share with your CPA. Everything is tailored to your state and income level.
You answer 5 to 7 questions about your hustle type, your state, and roughly how much you earn. SideHustleGuard uses those answers to apply the actual rules for your specific situation, not generic advice. That's why two people with different hustles in different states get completely different results.
Because showing you your score is how we prove this works. The free check gives you your compliance score and your top 3 issues (real results, no card required). If those results surface issues you want to fix (most do), the $5 full report has the complete breakdown, action plan, and PDF. No subscription, no surprise charges.
No, and that's intentional. SideHustleGuard provides general educational information, not legal or tax advice. Think of it as a knowledgeable friend explaining your situation in plain English. For complex situations, always consult a licensed CPA or attorney.
It depends on your state and hustle type. Most purely digital side hustles don't require a federal license, but many states and cities require a general business license or home occupation permit regardless of what you sell. Physical product sellers and service providers who work on-site almost always need one. The checker flags your specific requirements based on your state and hustle type in 60 seconds.
No. We don't store any personally identifiable information. Your answers are used only to generate your report and are not saved, sold, or shared with anyone.
About the author

Richard Srey

Founder, SideHustleGuard

Tax preparer turned multi-platform side hustler, based in Signal Hill, California. Spent years at M&M Tax Services preparing Schedule C and 1099 returns for gig workers, freelancers, and small-business filers. Currently hosts on Airbnb, and has spent past stretches delivering for Instacart and driving for Uber. SideHustleGuard is the resource I wish existed when I was switching between three platforms in the same week and trying to keep the schedules straight. Every guide is grounded in actual IRS publications, state revenue codes, and platform tax pages, not generic content rewrites.

richard@sidehustleguard.com · Self-employment tax · 1099 reporting · Short-term rental compliance

Your hustle deserves real protection.

Most side hustlers find 2-3 issues they didn't know about. Check yours free, takes 60 seconds.

Check my hustle →