Reporting Income for tax purposes

[Rich]

Originally Posted by aschramm

In almost all of my games and tournaments that I worked this summer, I was paid either by cash or personal check for these. I can only think of 1-2 times that I was paid by check, where the payer had my social security information. Does all of this need to be reported on my taxes? Or just the times that I was paid that can be traced back by my SS number?

Edit: Or is this just a better question to ask my tax man? Also, I get claimed under my parents.

Do you cheat on the field, too?

[aschramm]

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by aschramm

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

You should be thankful. Maybe you don't report this income and nobody notices. Maybe then you keep doing the same thing every year. Maybe a few years down the line when you're umpiring more games and making even more money from them, and you are caught not reporting this income your mistake will be very costly. Learning this now could save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

What some of the posters wrote might seem harsh, but ethics and integrity are the most important things you must have as an official. These guys feel strongly about this (so do I), and rightly so.

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by aschramm

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

You need to report all income to the IRS. That is the simple answer. Don't worry about the razing everyone is giving you. Stick with us and I promise you'll get tons of great information from this group!

-Josh

[dash_riprock]

If you don't get a 1099, the gummint is never going to know about the income. Whether you report it or not is your business. If you don't report it, it doesn't make you a bad umpire, it makes you a tax cheat. There are a lot of good umpires out there who are also tax cheats.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by aschramm

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

OK, I've got another question or two. As a 1st year guy - and I suspected you were relatively "young" in this umpiring world since you can still be claimed by your parents as a tex dependant - how many lumps have you taken on the field this year? If your first year was like mine, that's a big number. Here's hoping you learned from those and don't repeat wrongs. How gentle were those who watched and evaluated? How gentle were those you asked questions of?
AND there are way too many folks who officiate this game and/or others who choose not to report income. They don't care. Don't you be like them.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by aschramm

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

aschramm:

Ethics and integrity are two of the cornerstones of officiating, so stop rolling your eyes. Since you are claimed by your parents, I am assuming that you are either a high school or college student. Therefore, I would strongly advise you that you and your parents should sit down with a tax accountant as to the best way to handle your game fees. But remember, I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that you are still an independent contractor and a Schedule C will figure in your tax calculations.

MTD, Sr.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by aschramm

Wow,
I come to ask a simple question, since I've never had to do this before (1st year ump), and I get questioned about my ethics and integrity....thanks guys

Since your question boils down to, "can I cheat on my taxes and get away with it," you really shouldn't be surprised that people question your integrity.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Since your question boils down to, "can I cheat on my taxes and get away with it," you really shouldn't be surprised that people question your integrity.

Given his apparent age, I don't think the question was "can I cheat" as much as it was "how do I do this?". at least, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Given his apparent age, I don't think the question was "can I cheat" as much as it was "how do I do this?". at least, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.

Fair enough. The question about whether income can be "traced back by my SS number" sounds like he already knows it's reportable, which in turn suggests that the real question is "do you guys get away with this?"

[aschramm]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Fair enough. The question about whether income can be "traced back by my SS number" sounds like he already knows it's reportable, which in turn suggests that the real question is "do you guys get away with this?"

The reason I mentioned this one, is because I have heard people say that if you've earned under $500 from a particular school or source, that you do not have to worry about filing in regards to that (or heard comments similar to that). And since I only received 1 check that would have this info, it's definitely under the $500 amount.

To clarify again, in no way am I looking to cheat on taxes. I'm just curious as to what gets reported, etc.

[Adam]

If you make less than $600 from a single source (a school, for example), that source is not required to provide you with a 1099. The income is still reportable/taxable, however, even though you won't receive a 1099 for it. Other aggregate thresholds are applicable for whether your income is taxable, and that question belongs to a tax professional.