SEPT 15 2026 · 3rd 2026 Form 1040-ES estimated-tax date · 16 days out

Q3 window June 1 – August 31, 2026 · Price the next job

Field Ledger

SKU 1 · Version 1.0 · Dated August 29, 2026

The 1099 Field Kit

$97

One Excel workbook for US outdoor-trade operators who get paid on 1099s, cards, cash, and apps. You already know how to do the work. This is the file that tells you whether a quote actually makes money — and what to hand a bookkeeper in January.

What's inside

Formulas, not hardcoded totals. Dropdowns. Locked instructions. Unlocked yellow inputs. Three EXAMPLE rows, clearly labeled, that you delete. Microsoft Excel recommended; LibreOffice Calc usually works.

SheetWhat it does
Start HereWho it’s for, 10-minute setup, color legend, full disclaimer.
SetupBusiness name, trade, filing status, last year’s tax (safe harbor), hourly cost, defaults.
Quote vs CostOne job: quoted price vs true cost. Warns if you quoted below cost.
Job Log250 rows. Quoted, cost, profit, hours, paid Y/N. Totals at the top.
IncomeDeposits toward Schedule C gross receipts. 1099-K / 1099-NEC flag.
ExpensesOfficial Schedule C categories only. Business % for mixed purchases.
Mileage2026 standard-mileage log. Split year: 72.5¢ then 76¢.
Estimated TaxSE tax math, rough income tax, quarterly remaining. Q3 = Sep 15, 2026.
Year-End PacketOne page. Print area is set. Hand it to a bookkeeper with receipts.
Rates + SourcesEvery IRS figure the formulas use, with URLs and the retrieval date.

Who it is for

Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs that file Schedule C, drive to jobs, buy chemicals or materials, sometimes hire a helper, and need a true job cost before they send a number, a clean log of jobs, deposits, spends, and miles, a quarterly estimated-tax picture that shows the math, and a one-page year-end packet a bookkeeper will actually use.

You do not need to be “good at Excel.” Yellow cells are the only ones you type in.

Who it is not for

  • — W-2 employees with no side business
  • — Partnerships, S-corps, or C-corps (this kit is wired for Schedule C)
  • — Anyone who wants a CPA, a filed return, or a guaranteed refund
  • — Anyone looking for an earnings claim. That pitch is not in this product because it would be false.

What you will do with it this week

  1. Fill Setup (about ten yellow cells).
  2. Delete the EXAMPLE rows.
  3. Run Saturday’s job through Quote vs Cost before you text the price.
  4. Log the deposit, the Home Depot run, and the miles.
  5. Open Estimated Tax before September 15, 2026 and pay what the remaining-to-pay line says — after you or your tax pro agree with the math. Pay at IRS.gov. The file does not send money.

Time to first useful quote: about ten minutes. Same free math is on the quote vs cost page if you want to try it before you buy.

Disclaimer

The 1099 Field Kit is a recordkeeping and estimating workbook. It is not tax, legal, or accounting advice. It is not a CPA, EA, or attorney product. Don James is not a CPA, enrolled agent, or tax attorney. Field Ledger is not affiliated with the IRS. The kit does not file a return, send a payment, or represent you. Tax law changes. Outdoor-trade rules vary by city. Verify every figure with IRS.gov and a tax professional licensed in your state before you file or pay. You are buying a sharper notebook, not a representation letter.

Waitlist

Ping me when checkout is live

Same waitlist as Books. Tell us you want the $97 kit. We will email a checkout link when it exists — not a card form on this page.

Stored locally in this browser and, when the API is available, in a JSON file on the server. Not sold. Not a tax client relationship.