# File Uber for Tax Season!?



## micbarz404 (Oct 18, 2016)

Hey can anyone explain to me how filing uber on your taxes work!?


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## JimKE (Oct 28, 2016)

Uh...no... 

You are an independent contractor, so Uber does not withhold anything from your pay for taxes. You will OWE taxes -- not only federal income tax, but also state income taxes if you live in a state with an income tax. So *you need to set aside* a reasonable percentage of your income in reserve *for taxes*.

You also need to accurately track your *expenses*, which are deductible. If you don't, you will pay WAY more taxes than you should.

You're running a business. You really need to learn the legalities and other basics, or you're going to get yourself in trouble.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

micbarz404 said:


> Hey can anyone explain to me how filing uber on your taxes work!? Do you get money back or what!?


Check out the "Taxes" forum for just about everything you'll need to know to file your 2016 tax returns.

If you have been diligent about keeping a mileage log, and have kept records/receipts for your cellphone bills and other business expenses like water/candy for pax if you supplied them, you may not owe much in taxes.

If you have withholding from a regular job, and Uber is a part time gig, you may have paid in enough to cover the taxes.

If your net profits exceed $400 you will be paying self employment tax, whether or not you owe income tax. If you do your own return, Turbo Tax and other programs will walk you through the process. Be sure you get one with Schedule C included. That's where you figure your business profit or loss.

If you aren't comfortable doing your own tax returns, see a professional.


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## micbarz404 (Oct 18, 2016)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Check out the "Taxes" forum for just about everything you'll need to know to file your 2016 tax returns.
> 
> If you have been diligent about keeping a mileage log, and have kept records/receipts for your cellphone bills and other business expenses like water/candy for pax if you supplied them, you may not owe much in taxes.
> 
> ...


Thanks. This was extremely helpful!


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## Fishchris (Aug 31, 2016)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Check out the "Taxes" forum for just about everything you'll need to know to file your 2016 tax returns.
> 
> If you have been diligent about keeping a mileage log, and have kept records/receipts for your cellphone bills and other business expenses like water/candy for pax if you supplied them, you may not owe much in taxes.
> 
> ...


Why do people always say ...
If you have been diligent about keeping a mileage log, and have kept records/receipts for your cellphone bills and other business expenses like water/candy for pax if you supplied them, you may not owe much in taxes.

No, its not keeping track of all your miles "and" cell phone bills, records, etc...
Its one, or the other other, "not both"

But typically, keeping track of your miles, is enough to cover all ir most of your taxes.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

Fishchris said:


> No, its not keeping track of all your miles "and" cell phone bills, records, etc...
> Its one, or the other other, "not both"


Huh? What? It's both and beyond. List every deduction possible. Do you subscribe to satellite radio and play it for your pax like I do? Deduction. All cell phone expenses...deduction. Do you play live sports games before and during the events? Deduction. Mints, water and anything offered to customers: deduction. Rule of thumb, most drivers travel 2 miles for each paid mile.
The only thing you can't do is double deduct. You can't deduct miles AND deduct repairs, car washes, car payments, etc....that's all part of your mileage deduction.


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## Fishchris (Aug 31, 2016)

Definitely not the case in CA.

In Cali miles are nothing more than the number of miles you travel for Uber... And NOT gas, tires, oik, etc


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Fishchris said:


> Definitely not the case in CA.
> 
> In Cali miles are nothing more than the number of miles you travel for Uber... And NOT gas, tires, oik, etc


It's the same in all states when it comes to filing your federal return. You choose either the standard mileage rate or the share of actual operating expenses as applied to business use of the vehicle. Either way, you need to be able to account for business miles with a contemporaneous log. For example, you use your car 50% for business and 50% for personal trips. You buy a set of tires for $500. You can only deduct $250 from your business gross on Schedule C.

The $0.54 per mile is most likely a better deduction for most Uber drivers who keep track of pax and "dead" miles.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

Fishchris said:


> Definitely not the case in CA.
> 
> In Cali miles are nothing more than the number of miles you travel for Uber... And NOT gas, tires, oik, etc


uhh, yeah...what older chauffeur said...if you re-read what I said, it was that you cannot deduct "gas, tires, oik, etc" if you use the mileage deduction. It's one or the other, not both.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> uhh, yeah...what older chauffeur said...if you re-read what I said, it was that you cannot deduct "gas, tires, oik, etc" if you use the mileage deduction. It's one or the other, not both.


You need a milage log either way, you can only deduct a % of your car expenses where the % is what % is for business and not personal use.

If you use a car for 90% business you can only deduct 90% of your oil changes.


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## Cdaley (Nov 30, 2015)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> Huh? What? It's both and beyond. List every deduction possible. Do you subscribe to satellite radio and play it for your pax like I do? Deduction. All cell phone expenses...deduction. Do you play live sports games before and during the events? Deduction. Mints, water and anything offered to customers: deduction. Rule of thumb, most drivers travel 2 miles for each paid mile.
> The only thing you can't do is double deduct. You can't deduct miles AND deduct repairs, car washes, car payments, etc....that's all part of your mileage deduction.


You can deduct a deep clean of your car if you do it ! Shampoo, detail etc !!


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

Cdaley said:


> You can deduct a deep clean of your car if you do it ! Shampoo, detail etc !!


 No. It's actual expenses OR the mileage deduction, NOT BOTH. If you take the mileage deduction, you can't deduct cleaning and repairs too.


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## Cdaley (Nov 30, 2015)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> No. It's actual expenses OR the mileage deduction, NOT BOTH. If you take the mileage deduction, you can't deduct cleaning and repairs too.


Actually you can I have done it for 2 years and plan on doing it this year as well! A reg clean is included with the Miliage but a deep clean to make sure you give a good product for your riders ! But I'm not here to give tax advice I'm just here saying what I have done everyone is free to do what ever they please ! My tax account which has done uber taxes for years has given me a list of things I can and can not claim in my takes !


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## KSaint (Feb 12, 2016)

Good app for tracking mileage??


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## UBER-Diesel (Nov 27, 2016)

not sure i just use the mileage thats counted in my statements. I know i have driven more while "clocked in" but if oyu under do it then thats less of a possible red flag being seen by IRS.


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## KSaint (Feb 12, 2016)

UBER-Diesel said:


> not sure i just use the mileage thats counted in my statements. I know i have driven more while "clocked in" but if oyu under do it then thats less of a possible red flag being seen by IRS.


Lol. I didn't even think of that.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

UBER-Diesel said:


> not sure i just use the mileage thats counted in my statements. I know i have driven more while "clocked in" but if oyu under do it then thats less of a possible red flag being seen by IRS.


If you have kept a contemporaneous record of your business mileage, as required by the IRS, then there is no reason fear of a red flag. You are leaving a good chunk of money on the table if you don't claim the dead miles. From what I have read here many drivers have one dead mile for each paid mile. 
Consult a tax pro, which I am not.


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

It's simple K. Get a copy of Microsoft Office, learn how to use the Excel program and make a mileage log on that.

Every day I leave home, which has a request, unless going to get gas, I zero out the mileage then when I get home log it on the spread sheet. Usually it's close to 2:1 and if it's 3:1 may want to rethink what your doing. I know some drivers do only LA or OC from here, that's an additional 70 dead miles one way. 

There's all kinds of different ways to track how much the net earnings can be calculated weekly , monthly over the course of a year.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Amsoil Uber Connect said:


> It's simple K. Get a copy of Microsoft Office, learn how to use the Excel program and make a mileage log on that.
> 
> Every day I leave home, which has a request, unless going to get gas, I zero out the mileage then when I get home log it on the spread sheet. Usually it's close to 2:1 and if it's 3:1 may want to rethink what your doing. I know some drivers do only LA or OC from here, that's an additional 70 dead miles one way.
> 
> There's all kinds of different ways to track how much the net earnings can be calculated weekly , monthly over the course of a year.


If you are just using total miles on your trip meter by zeroing out daily, that won't cut it with the IRS, according to my CPA and tax pros who post here. What is needed are the starting and ending odometer readings for each shift, along with the date and business purpose.


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## CommiePuddin (Nov 17, 2016)

KSaint said:


> Good app for tracking mileage??


I've been using Hurdlr and been very pleased so far.


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

Older Chauffeur said:


> If you are just using total miles on your trip meter by zeroing out daily, that won't cut it with the IRS, according to my CPA and tax pros who post here. What is needed are the starting and ending odometer readings for each shift, along with the date and business purpose.


Yeah I know, read it here. I guess I'll change that next year. Not likely I'll be audited though.


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## KSaint (Feb 12, 2016)

Older Chauffeur said:


> If you are just using total miles on your trip meter by zeroing out daily, that won't cut it with the IRS, according to my CPA and tax pros who post here. What is needed are the starting and ending odometer readings for each shift, along with the date and business purpose.


That is what I heard as well!


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## KSaint (Feb 12, 2016)

CommiePuddin said:


> I've been using Hurdlr and been very pleased so far.


I will check that out. Ty!!


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## Alice Arifova (Dec 9, 2016)

good app for tracking ...


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