# Trying to figure out fees I paid Uber



## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

I am trying to get organized for taxes. I have all my Uber stuff in spreadsheets. I have every ride entered and it balances out with my weekly pay statements. I understand I will not be getting a 1099-K and I am unable to make heads or tails of Uber's tax summaries. For one thing, when I total all my deposits and compare it to the monthly statements, $355.81 is missing from one month. Even the number of completed trips doesn't jive. Yearly totals are off by hundreds of dollars. I am just going with my figures and ignoring their summaries. Something I am trying to figure out is what I technically paid Uber. I understand there is what the rider pays and from that the service fee and booking fee are deducted and the remainder is my net earnings. If what the rider paid does not cover my earnings Uber makes up the difference.

What I need to know is, when Uber makes up the difference, is that considered gross earnings paid to me from which Uber then deducts their fees? I posted to examples. 
First one, rider paid $0 so Uber had to pay $9.39, from which they deducted $2.90. My gross earnings are $9.39, and net $6.49.
Second one: Riders paid $38.33, Uber kicked in $35.19, they deduct $8.35 in fees. My gross earnings are $73.52 and my net is $65.17.

So the way I understand it I include what Uber is kicking in when I report my gross income which will be offset by the fees and other deductions on schedule C.
Do I have that right?
Thanks.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

In the example above you had negative Uber fees so that figure would stay in the Uber Fees column and would decrease the fees you paid. Your gross income is what the Rider Paid added up from all your trips. Your Fees are the total of all the Service Fees for the same trips. The difference is your net income before other allowable deductions.

At least that is how I am recording mine. May or may not be correct but that is how I see it.

I also keep a spread sheet of every trip, I have not looked at my annual summary to compare them. If trips are missing I would contact Uber to find out why.

I think if you are paid a cancellation fee, that does not count as a trip with Uber.


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## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

FLKeys said:


> In the example above you had negative Uber fees so that figure would stay in the Uber Fees column and would decrease the fees you paid. Your gross income is what the Rider Paid added up from all your trips. Your Fees are the total of all the Service Fees for the same trips. The difference is your net income before other allowable deductions.
> 
> At least that is how I am recording mine. May or may not be correct but that is how I see it.
> 
> ...


The whole system is kinda ridiculous. The fact that they process the payments and extract all their fees before we even see it and yet it counts as income for us makes no sense. I have a total fees column where the total goes up or down depending on if Uber's fees is a positive or negative and that I would just take that total as fees paid to Uber. While the total number may come out the same, I don't think that is the correct way to look at it. When you look at the "Uber Receives" part of the fare breakdown it says "Negative numbers represent an amount paid for by Uber and related entities." Service Fee and Booking Fee are always 0 or a positive number. Boost and Service Fee Adjustment (payment) are always negative. I am looking at each individual transaction. What rider pays + Service Fee Adjustment (out of Uber's pocket) + Boost (Incentives) = Income. Service Fee + Booking Fee = Expense.

It may just be academic at this point. The more I look at Uber's tax summary I may just use their figures as they are more favorable.


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