Reporting Income for tax purposes

[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.

[bob jenkins]

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.

It all gets reported. I'd suggest using schedule C, but depending on what other income and expenses you have it might not matter.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

It all gets reported. I'd suggest using schedule C, but depending on what other income and expenses you have it might not matter.

What he said.

ALL of it needs to be reported.

[Steve M]

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.

Consider this.
IF I were a manager/coach/player and I questioned your integrity on the field - you'd rightly be offended and dump me. Why doesn't that same integrity - that we all guard so strongly on the field - carry over to your personal life? Of course you need to report it - and if you choose not to, remember that you have too little integrity to do what's right the next time some manager/coach/player questions your integrity in a game.

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Consider this.
IF I were a manager/coach/player and I questioned your integrity on the field - you'd rightly be offended and dump me. Why doesn't that same integrity - that we all guard so strongly on the field - carry over to your personal life? Of course you need to report it - and if you choose not to, remember that you have too little integrity to do what's right the next time some manager/coach/player questions your integrity in a game.

Love the analogy Steve lol

-Josh

[griff901c]

Render unto Caesar what is Caesars.........

griff

[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.

[UmpJM]

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.

aschramm,

Whether you are paid in cash or by check for your umpiring services has no bearing on whether you are legally required to report that income. Since you state you are claimed as a dependent by your parents, I infer that you are relatively young and may be a student rather than someone who is "full-time" employed. As such, you may have limited income.

If your aggregate income is such that you are not required to file an income tax return under IRS regulations, you need not report ANY of the income you received. If, on the other hand, you are required to file a return, you must report ALL of the income, regardless of whether you were paid in cash, check, bearer bond, or gold bullion. Of course, you would also be able to deduct reasonable and actual expenses from that income as well.

Regardless, you are probably better off getting tax advice from a qualified tax professional rather than a bunch of people who post on an internet umpire forum.

JM

[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.

[ncump7]

"Regardless, you are probably better off getting tax advice from a qualified tax professional rather than a bunch of people who post on an internet umpire forum."

That is good advice..