cleaned out the basement in 2025 and sold a bunch of old electronics and books on ebay. total ~$2,800. just got a 1099-K showing that as gross. all of it was stuff i bought years ago for way more than i sold it for. tax person said i still have to report on schedule C and pay SE tax. that can't be right?
your tax person is wrong. occasional sale of personal property at a loss is NOT business income. report on Schedule 1 line 8z as "other income" then offset on line 24z as "personal items sold at a loss." nets to zero, no SE tax.
only treat as Schedule C if you're regularly buying-to-resell as a business. one-time basement cleanout doesn't qualify.
+1. IRS specifically issued guidance about this when the 1099-K threshold dropped. follow that guidance, not generic "schedule C any 1099-K" advice.