Receipt & expense guides

Clear, practical answers about receipts, invoices and expense records — for freelancers, gig workers, small businesses and anyone reconstructing a lost receipt for their own tax and reimbursement records.

Guides

How to Write a Receipt for Your Small Business (Free Template)

To write a valid receipt, record the date, your business name and contact details, the buyer, an itemized list of what was sold, the subtotal, tax, and total, the payment method, and a unique receipt number.

Comparisons

Receipt vs. Invoice: What's the Difference?

An invoice is a request for payment sent before money changes hands, while a receipt is proof of payment issued after the buyer has paid.

Guides

What Has to Be on a Legally Valid Receipt

A legally valid receipt must identify the seller, show the transaction date, itemize what was bought, and state the amount, tax, total, and payment method — ideally with a unique receipt number — so it holds up for taxes, reimbursement, and record-keeping.

Taxes

Is a Photo or Screenshot of a Receipt Valid for Taxes or Reimbursement?

A photo, scan, or screenshot of a receipt is generally valid for taxes and employee reimbursement as long as it is legible and captures every required detail — the merchant, date, amount, tax, and what was purchased.

Taxes

How to Get a Replacement Receipt for Tax & Expense Reimbursement (Apple, Amazon, Best Buy)

If you lost the receipt for a real purchase, you can lawfully create a replacement by reconstructing the record from your bank or card statement, order emails, and vendor account history — never by inventing a purchase that didn't happen.

Taxes

How to Track Tech & Hardware Expenses for 1099 Taxes

To track tech and hardware expenses for 1099 taxes, save a dated, itemized receipt for every business purchase, log the business-use percentage, and keep records for each device you deduct or depreciate — then confirm the deduction method with a tax professional.

Taxes

Rideshare Expense Tracking: How to Handle a Lost Uber or Lyft Receipt

To recover a lost rideshare receipt, first open the Uber or Lyft app and pull the receipt from your trip history or resend it by email; only if that fails should you reconstruct a record from your bank statement for a ride you actually took.

Taxes

Gig Worker & 1099 Contractor Receipts for Tax Season

Gig and 1099 workers should keep a dated, itemized receipt for every business expense they plan to deduct — mileage and fuel, phone, supplies, home office, and platform fees — because the burden of proving a deduction falls on you, not the platform that paid you.

Guides

Do Freelancers Need to Give Clients a Receipt?

Freelancers aren't always legally required to issue a receipt, but you should give one whenever a client pays you — a receipt is proof that payment was made, while an invoice is only a request for payment.

Guides

Rent Receipt Template & Requirements by State

A rent receipt is a landlord's written proof that a tenant paid rent, and in several US states tenants have a statutory right to request one — especially for cash payments — so a compliant receipt should always show the amount, date, period covered, payment method, property address, and both parties' names.