Venmo sent me a 1099-K for $8,000 - half of it is roommate rent payments. How do I handle this?

I just received a 1099-K from Venmo for $8,247 in payments received in 2025. I'm freaking out because I don't run a business and definitely didn't make $8k in income.

When I look at my Venmo history, about $4,800 of it is my roommate paying me her half of rent (I pay the landlord and she Venmos me). The rest is a mix of actual freelance income ($2,500), selling some used furniture ($800), and friends paying me back for concert tickets and dinners ($147).

Do I have to report all $8k as income? That would mean paying taxes on my roommate's rent money which makes no sense. How do I explain this to the IRS?

Side note - if your freelance income is going to continue, you might want to set up a separate Venmo or PayPal account just for business. Keeps everything cleaner for taxes.

I made this mistake my first year freelancing - mixed personal and business on the same account and it was a nightmare to sort out.