How to claim an honorarium

The State Controller of North Carolina has an excellent summary of honoraria. To summarize it:

1. honorariums paid to, for example, give a speech where no continuing relationship is made are miscellaneous income not subject to self-employment taxes.
2. Honorariums paid in a continuing situation such as a guest lecturer to teach a course such as done by an Adjunct Professor are wages and should be treated as such by the payer.
3. Honorariums in extremely rare instances may be a gift where a speech is made with no expectation whatsoever for payment, but payment is made.

The most common type (miscellaneous income) is reported in  as follows:

• Under the wages and income tab select "Explore On My Own", and
• at the bottom under "Less Common Income"  select Miscellaneous Income, then
• select Reportable Income, then
• Select "Yes" and, in the next screen, describe the income.