It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Not ...
 

Hey? When do the tax questions start? I bought a new black belt this year.

Forget the taxes, go buy yourself some Sansabelts!

For GHSA games, we have to wait until the season ends. We bill each school, they pay us, and we distribute checks at an end of year banquet. 1099, yes, which stinks, but I prefer one lump payment because I don't just blow the money week by week. One nice big check to use for summer vacation.... I use rec league games for "mad money"....but I rarely even do these anymore. Too many hotheads and headaches.

Why does a 1099 stink? You owe the taxes on your income even if you don't get a 1099. Or are you saying you cheat on your taxes whenever you don't get a 1099?

Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy ...
 

W-9's are so common here in my little corner of Connecticut that many of us carry precompleted W-9's with us in our bags. When a site director hands us a W-9 to fill out, we simply whip out one our own completed forms, sign it, date it, and hand it back to him.

The days of being handed an envelope with currency, and some loose change, are long gone.

Watch Out Or I'll Belt You ...
 

Shut up.

You know that's exactly what he's saying. I wonder what percentage of officials don't bother claiming this income on their taxes.

I don't get a 1099 from more than a handful of places (where I'm poaid centrally and make over $600 a year), but I keep track very carefully of all my officiating income and faithfully fill out my Schedule C every year. By the time I factor in allowable deductions, I barely make anything. But if I ever get audited, I have everything documented.

So, I'm one of the only ones who gets paid at the end of the season or tournament?

I've gotten paid in cash exactly ONE time.

Wow. Interesting to me!

Yes. I get a check from each school, 2-30 days after the context.

Private school: Usually paid at the assignment. Public school: name is turned in and payment is usually within a week or so. In the meantime, here's a Snickers Bar...

Love those Snickers AND their commercials. (particularly the one from way back...great googly moogly!)

Seriously? :eek:

Proud To Be A Patriotic American ...
 

Yes. Seriously.

Camron Rust, and I, I'm proud to say, are not tax cheats. I claim every single penny that I make officiating. I also claim every single deduction, and every single mile that I travel. Why should the government get a percentage of the black belt that I purchased for my officiating?

Camron, and I, are among the estimated 80% of Americans who do not cheat on their taxes. If you want to be a part of the other 20% then go right ahead and cheat. I didn't have the privilege of serving in the military, but I make sure to make informed choices when I vote, and I vote in every single election, I display my flag on every national holiday, and I never purposely cheat on my taxes. That's the least that I can do to be a good citizen in this wonderful country of ours. I'm proud to be an American, warts and all.

There's a paperless option.

Scan a completed W-9 into a PDF file. When you work a new school, simply email that attachment to the athletic director. His/her email is always there on Arbiter.

"Mr. Myagi, what belt do you have?"
"JCPenney's, five dollars. You like? . . .