Sources and original illustrations

Primary references and the limits of this educational collection.

Primary references

• IRS: Gig Economy Tax Center — US gig income can require reporting even without a payment form; keep records and use current relevant guidance.
• SBA: Plan Your Business — Startup-cost, market-research and simple break-even planning concepts; no demand or earnings guarantee.
• FTC: Earnings Claims and Labor Task Force — Unusually successful examples do not establish likely earnings for everyone; claims need relevant support.
• FTC: Task Scams — Fake task balances and demands to pay to unlock earnings are scam patterns; no recovery guarantee.
• FTC: Job Scams — Job-scam patterns include payment demands and reshipping arrangements; verify through independent channels.
• IRS: What to Do with Form 1099-K — Payment reporting, personal-item sales and correction questions need actual records and current US guidance.
• FTC: Cybersecurity for Small Business — Small operations still need appropriate account, device and customer-data protection.
• FTC: Endorsement Guides Questions — Material commercial connections and truthful endorsements require appropriate context; no individual compliance determination.

Original visual material

The diagrams in this edition are original SVG illustrations explaining the sequence or decisions in each guide. They do not show a laboratory experiment, a personal trip or a tested product result. No photographs from the linked sources are reproduced.

Check the source in context

References were consulted during preparation of this edition. A source may cover a broader or narrower question than a particular guide; the support notes above explain why it is listed. Read the original for methodology, exceptions and updates.