# Can someone please help me with my question !



## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

Im doing my taxes on turbo tax and I'm looking at my 1099 and i see my gross then it has tolls followed by split fare fee and safe ride fee.

My question is can i deduct my tolls I paid on turbo tax or no ? I'm trying to figure out if I'm being taxed on my tolls and if so do i deduct it 

Do i just put my gross fares into the schedule C and then deduct everything ?


its my first time doing taxes myself thank you


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

Not sure if Uber reports the same way in NJ as here in CA. (They should since this is more to do with Federal reporting standards than anything else).

I think it's best to understand the context before your direct question is answered. Uber/Lyft have essentially established themselves for their tax reporting purposes as payment processors (Like a Square, PayPal, etc. etc.) So, what you get from Uber/Lyft is a TOTAL amount amount of money they've processed for you.

For YOUR purposes. The Safe Rides/Booking Fee AND tolls count as GROSS RECEIPTS. If your tax info from Uber lists the Tolls. Yes, you ABSOLUTELY deduct that from your earnings! Treat it like the Rider Fee.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

Null said:


> Not sure if Uber reports the same way in NJ as here in CA. (They should since this is more to do with Federal reporting standards than anything else).
> 
> I think it's best to understand the context before your direct question is answered. Uber/Lyft have essentially established themselves for their tax reporting purposes as payment processors (Like a Square, PayPal, etc. etc.) So, what you get from Uber/Lyft is a TOTAL amount amount of money they've processed for you.
> 
> For YOUR purposes. The Safe Rides/Booking Fee AND tolls count as GROSS RECEIPTS. If your tax info from Uber lists the Tolls. Yes, you ABSOLUTELY deduct that from your earnings! Treat it like the Rider Fee.


Okay thanks another question

do I put my "Gross Fares (Uber Fee included) " into my schedule C or do i put the "total" at the bottom of my 1099-k ? I'm confused on which one goes into my schedule C

thanks again I'm trying to figure out my taxes because they are due tomorrow !!


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> Okay thanks another question
> 
> do I put my "Gross Fares (Uber Fee included) " into my schedule C or do i put the "total" at the bottom of my 1099-k ? I'm confused on which one goes into my schedule C
> 
> thanks again I'm trying to figure out my taxes because they are due tomorrow !!


Your Sched C includes your income and your expenses. Basically, take the TOTAL (Fare + Rider Fee + Commissions) and put it on the income side. Then you deduct the commissions and Rider fees on the expenses side.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

ohhh okay !! got it, so i put total of everything fares, tolls, rider fee and commission into schedule C / Business Income ?


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> ohhh okay !! got it, so i put total of everything fares, tolls, rider fee and commission into schedule C / Business Income ?


The value of box 1A on the 1099-K goes in your income side.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

Null said:


> The value of box 1A on the 1099-K goes in your income side.


okay just verified it now I got it.

appreciate the help btw

if you don't mind me asking did you have to pay back anything or did you break even after i went threw my deduction it has be owing some money to federal and state ;/


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> okay just verified it now I got it.
> 
> appreciate the help btw
> 
> if you don't mind me asking did you have to pay back anything or did you break even after i went threw my deduction it has be owing some money to federal and state ;/


$2400 of my Uber/Lyft income was taxable out of 13k in gross receipts.

You're going to pay taxes on your rideshare income unless you report a loss.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

Null said:


> $2400 of my Uber/Lyft income was taxable out of 13k in gross receipts.
> 
> You're going to pay taxes on your rideshare income unless you report a loss.


okay mine was gross $11,000

and my taxable was $3,800


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> okay mine was gross $11,000
> 
> and my taxable was $3,800


Doesn't sound out of line. I aggressively pursue fares/rack up dead miles since I have a fixed cost xchange lease and get 50mpg. I have more deductible miles than most (I assume anyway).

I deducted for things like my Dash Cam, the SD card in the dash cam, my Uber/Lyft switching app, barf bags, cleaning supplies, car charger, phone case, cell mount, etc. etc.

Make sure you add stuff in like that too.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

[QUOTE="Null, post: 1001006, member: 30132"

barf bags, cleaning supplies, car charger, phone case, cell mount, etc. etc.

Make sure you add stuff in like that too.[/QUOTE]

where in Turbo tax can i add that stuff ???

below is the options

Advertising
Business cards, yellow pages ads and listings, Web ads, brochures, mailers, flyers More Examples 
Business Travel
Air, train, or bus fare; hotel, rental car More Examples $0
Commissions
Finder's fees, sales commissions, legal referrals, shared commissions More Examples $
Communication
Second phone line, long distance calls, cell phone service More Examples $125
Contract Labor
Sub- and independent contractors, additional project support More Examples $0
Insurance Payments
Health, long-term care, liability insurance $0
Interest Payments
Business credit cards, loans and property $0
Legal and Professional Fees
Fees for business-related legal matters, association memberships More Examples $0
Meals and Entertainment
Meals while traveling; entertaining your business associates $0
Office Expenses
Pickup and delivery services, bottled water delivery, data backup More Examples $0
Rental Expenses
Equipment such as computers and copiers, retail or warehouse space, land $0
Repairs and Maintenance
Routine maintenance of machinery and equipment More Examples $0
Supplies
Pens, paper, calendars, data CDs; other supplies related to copiers, printers, mailing More Examples $0
Taxes and Licenses
Payroll and unemployment taxes for employees, business licenses and permits More Examples $0
Utilities
Gas, electricity, water, trash collection, pest control, alarm monitoring More Examples $0
Other Miscellaneous Expenses
Answering services, bank charges, business-related gifts


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

I put barf bags and cleaning supplies in supplies. The dash cam and SD card, etc. I put in Misc.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

oka


Null said:


> I put barf bags and cleaning supplies in supplies. The dash cam and SD card, etc. I put in Misc.


okay great and what about car washes where did you put that ? misc also?


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> oka
> 
> okay great and what about car washes where did you put that ? misc also?


I wasn't (and still not) clear on car washes. I believe the IRS says that washes are included in the standard mileage rate (maintenance and repairs). I think there OUGHT to be an exception for those that clearly need to clean more frequently, but opted to not claim it as a deduction.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

car washes are part of the standard mileage deduction. as is gas, or oil changes... or tires and brake jobs...


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> car washes are part of the standard mileage deduction. as is gas, or oil changes... or tires and brake jobs...


i didn't use the standard mile because i dont own my car i had to use the gas route....


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

yolo25 said:


> i didn't use the standard mile because i dont own my car i had to use the gas route....


who owns your car?


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> who owns your car?


its in my grandmothers name... but i pay the car note and insurance but its just not in "My name" anyway around that guys?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

so you lease it from granny for $1.00 per month.

Now write off the miles.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

okay !! good idea haha i see what you mean so the $1.00 is so she doesn't have to report it to the irs ?


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> so you lease it from granny for $1.00 per month.
> 
> Now write off the miles.


After i changed mine to the standard mile it shows that my net income is -1,500 ...i dont want to show a loss though.. is that bad?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

if you have mileage logs, a loss is possible. dead miles often are more than paid miles.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> if you have mileage logs, a loss is possible. dead miles often are more than paid miles.


Okay I adjusted my miles and I'm at a net income of 350$


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

you have to own or lease the vehicle to take deductions on it unless it's your spouses and you file jointly.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

yolo25 said:


> its in my grandmothers name... but i pay the car note and insurance but its just not in "My name" anyway around that guys?


your name must be on the insurance for Uber to let you drive right?


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Is your name on the loan?


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> Is your name on the loan?


No sir my name is not on the loan yes my name is on the insurance on the declaration page...I have not filed my taxes yet I wanna make sure I pick the correct option before I do so.

Can I use the leasing option ?


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

People lease out cars to Uber drivers all the time. The problem is you should have been doing this all along....making lease payments to Grandma and having receipts, having a lease contract etc... Grandma should report lease payments as income on her return also. Be careful with the $1 dollar thing...I think that might be considered a lease with no valid business purpose other than taxes by the IRS if they wanted to be mean.


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## RightTurnClyde (Dec 9, 2015)

yolo25 said:


> After i changed mine to the standard mile it shows that my net income is -1,500 ...i dont want to show a loss though.. is that bad?


A loss would result in no tax liability on your part, so no it's not bad if you simply don't want to owe. More importantly, make sure you use numbers/miles that are documented and true to get a plain honest result. I believe if you post a loss for 3-years in a row you then have to file as a hobbyist versus self-employed.

I posted a loss and the standard deduction helped me greatly. My cost per mile is much less than .57c, I also do all my own maintenance, and am prepared financially for whatever comes my cars way. So I consider that a win for me personally.

What really irked me (since this is the first time I've ever done a 1099-K ) is how companies get away with using this form for its contractors as this was never the 1099-K's intended purpose originally. So Uber just processes payments (the biggest corporate load of !!$!$! I've ever had the displeasure dealing with). Not suprised though, it just hit home in a much deeper way while doing my taxes.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> People lease out cars to Uber drivers all the time. The problem is you should have been doing this all along....making lease payments to Grandma and having receipts, having a lease contract etc... Grandma should report lease payments as income on her return also. Be careful with the $1 dollar thing...I think that might be considered a lease with no valid business purpose other than taxes by the IRS if they wanted to be mean.


So your saying don't use the lease option  damn .... Any other options to get that standard mile deductions


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

RightTurnClyde said:


> A loss would result in no tax liability on your part, so no it's not bad if you simply don't want to owe. More importantly, make sure you use numbers/miles that are documented and true to get a plain honest result. I believe if you post a loss for 3-years in a row you then have to file as a hobbyist versus self-employed.
> 
> I posted a loss and the standard deduction helped me greatly. My cost per mile is much less than .57c, I also do all my own maintenance, and am prepared financially for whatever comes my cars way. So I consider that a win for me personally.
> 
> What really irked me (since this is the first time I've ever done a 1099-K ) is how companies get away with using this form for its contractors as this was never the 1099-K's intended purpose originally. So Uber just processes payments (the biggest corporate load of !!$!$! I've ever had the displeasure dealing with). Not suprised though, it just hit home in a much deeper way while doing my taxes.


What was your net income after you did your deductions ?


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

yolo25 said:


> So your saying don't use the lease option  damn .... Any other options to get that standard mile deductions


If you can't prove it don't use it.


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## yolo25 (Aug 31, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> If you can't prove it don't use it.


hmmm she's down if anything happens if I used it she would agree that I'm leasing it from her


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## StarzykCPA (Aug 6, 2015)

RightTurnClyde said:


> A loss would result in no tax liability on your part, so no it's not bad if you simply don't want to owe. More importantly, make sure you use numbers/miles that are documented and true to get a plain honest result. I believe if you post a loss for 3-years in a row you then have to file as a hobbyist versus self-employed.
> 
> I posted a loss and the standard deduction helped me greatly. My cost per mile is much less than .57c, I also do all my own maintenance, and am prepared financially for whatever comes my cars way. So I consider that a win for me personally.
> 
> What really irked me (since this is the first time I've ever done a 1099-K ) is how companies get away with using this form for its contractors as this was never the 1099-K's intended purpose originally. So Uber just processes payments (the biggest corporate load of !!$!$! I've ever had the displeasure dealing with). Not suprised though, it just hit home in a much deeper way while doing my taxes.


You don't necessarily have to file as a hobbyist if you post a loss 3 years in a row. Just be prepared to prove you are in fact running a business.

Agreed, probably not the intended purpose of the Form 1099-K... but to the contractor it's all the same. It's all income anyways.


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## RightTurnClyde (Dec 9, 2015)

StarzykCPA said:


> You don't necessarily have to file as a hobbyist if you post a loss 3 years in a row. Just be prepared to prove you are in fact running a business.
> 
> Agreed, probably not the intended purpose of the Form 1099-K... but to the contractor it's all the same. It's all income anyways.


Thanks, I learned something today! And also thank you for helping on this site. I've read a lot your posts...


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