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Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

janies_bizz
Enthusiast
I just started selling on Ebay and Im a little worried about reporting my extra little income. Its not that much but is there like a certain amount that I have to make for them to report or how does this work? Any help would be appreciated. Tax time is near.
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

 

I really do hope not, as I would hate to think that looking at my pitiful sales,

could potentially cause a poor IRS agent to laugh him, or herself to death.

Message 196 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

Maybe you shouldn't post on here...they will prob find out if you're telling everyone about it
Message 197 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

So lets say i bought a video game for $60.00 new and also had to pay taxes. I then 2 years later sell that game for $10.00 and not only will ebay take its fee for listing, selling, and shipping but also paypal will take its fee as well. That alone is taking a $10.00 sale and now bringing it down to $8.00 (not inlcuding the cost of the package to ship the game or the gas to take to the post office) but ON TOP OF THAT the irs wants to tax me again on the item i already paid taxes on 2 years ago? What is the point? I am all for taxes but at what point does it become insane? I guess the logical thing to do would be to sell 190 items within a calendar year and make sure it is under 20k in total earnings. If you risk that, then have someone else sign up and keep selling under their name like a spouse. Seperate accounts.

Message 198 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

Here's MY spin on things.... PayPal is required under IRS regulations to issue a 1099K IF your sales are $20,000 or more in the previous calendar year AND you have 200 or more transactions.

 

PayPal states that personal money transfers are NOT included in these totals. So, if mom & dad send you $500 for that college kegger, it won't show up in your PayPal 1099K.

 

Forget about the argument that you paid taxes on the items you've sold when you first acquired them. Uncle Sam will have none of that. He wants his money. Period.

 

The good news is that you will need to file a schedule C, and in doing so, can write off postage (yes, that amount IS included in the $20,000 reported), your shipping supplies, the cost of the item in the first place, a portion of your mortgage, provided the area you sell from is used exclusively for that purpose, as well as a proportionate amount of your utilities, gas, mileage and internet access charges. Since I sell for others and keep  only a commission (paying the item owner the larger portion of the proceeds), I am able to write off the lions share of the reported income, and at the end of the day after all my write-offs, I actually show a loss rather than a profit.

 

Now, if you are the casual seller - the mom who wants to give her childs clothing or toys a second life- I wouldn't fret.. The IRS won't be looking for you for an audit, so there is no need to black out your windows or line your walls with tin foil 🙂

Message 199 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

In searching for more information I found this blurb on the IRS website which seems to apply to you.  I hope it helps.

 

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Tax Tips for Online Auction Sellers Online Garage Sales

If your online auction sales are the Internet equivalent of an occasional garage or yard sale, you generally do not have to report the sales. In a garage sale, you generally sell household items you purchased over the years and used personally. If you paid more for the items than you sell them for, the sales are not reportable. Losses on personal use property are not deductible, either. However, see Sales of Appreciated Assets at an Online Auction below for gain reporting.

Message 200 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

pamela, thanks for posting that link about the ONLINE GARAGE SALE...except it didn't work, so here it is.

Somehow, I end up posting it almost every year.   winky

 

IRS links for online sellers

 

All that kind of stuff personal used stuff is sold at a loss, right?
No profit. Just like a garage sale. So no taxes paid.

 

Seems to apply to recent posts by robinscollections315, stalebria...I'm totally not going back another page to read old posts.

 

in which case, the advice andyabby gave about Schedule C and all the rest, DOES NOT APPLY. Quit scaring people, andyabby!

Welcome to the part timers board!

 

but when I look at what amzzyhmd posted,


@manamarketmini wrote:

i make well over $20k but i don't reach 200 transactions therefore i haven't received any 1099 from paypal for past three years.. and i wouldnt want to self-report this income pay tax for this because it might jeopardize my current visa status. so in this case what's the possibility that irs ever finds out about my income. will they come and check my paypal at some point or what? how do they ever know that i made that much and never reported?


 

now THAT post looks like a tax dodger from a foreign country enjoying all the ameneties of the USA on my tax dime.

And I find myself in an unkind place.

How nice, if I could just not pay tax on the first "well over $20K" I earned....but you seem to think it's OK.

 

And you know what, amzzyhmd? 

You could probably do it legally & get citizenship in our fine country, if you cared to spend the effort.   pbfffft

Message 201 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

i am planing to start selling things on e-bay. and i believe that if u use pay pal the irs could find out how much income you make on ebay . so what i plan to do is to incorporate and sell my inventory to [ my corporation} and sell the inventory asan agent of my corporation.

 

remember their is 3 things certainin


@janies_bizz wrote:
I just started selling on Ebay and Im a little worried about reporting my extra little income. Its not that much but is there like a certain amount that I have to make for them to report or how does this work? Any help would be appreciated. Tax time is near.


life taxes death and ebay fees

Message 202 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

When you look at all the questions and misinformation (due to confusion)in here. Its a testament to how screwed up the IRS is and how it hinders a small business. Most people don't even want to deal with the bull, so they end up not starting or expanding their business.

Message 203 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

You can get your 1099K on the pay pal site. Go to activity, then statements, it will either have the 1099k or say no 1099K available in which case you did not sell over 20K. I have been hit twice already by the IRS, so if I where you, I would claim it anyway.

Message 204 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

As with others on here I am just selling my old posesions. Items that I paid for with after-taxed money and paid sales tax on the item when origianlly purchased. How can anything I get be considered "income" when double taxes (after-tax dollars ad sales tax) have already been paid before I tried to sell it? And I do not have a recepit for something I bought 10 years ago to prove that I did not make a profit.  Ridiculous!

 

As soon as my current auctions complete I will not be selling on Ebay or using Paypal again It is not worth it! With the more complicated tax filing I need to do now, the shipping, ebay and paypal fees... now taxes on top of that, I might as well save money by not selling anything.  

 

Ebay is deceptive in not making this clear, and require tax info from people BEFORE they can start selling or using paypal. Paypal and Ebay should consider spending some money to lobbying congress for their customers if they wish to keep them, instead of for themselves only.  

Message 205 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

"As with others on here I am just selling my old posesions."

LOL. Go tell the IRS that the 100+ factory sealed video games from the last few years and those brand new sneakers are "old possessions". Priceless.
Message 206 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

I think its crazy how they tax everyone im new at this selling on ebay and Amazon but not making any sells so do you got any tips how to make money on ebay and Amazon?Or Is there a site where i can learn from? whats your secret? my email is jennyogden94@gmail.com if you wanna write me on there...


@scrobin06 wrote:

if you're selling PERSONAL items then there is no profit or loss taken....for example, If i sell my car for $10,000 and I paid $20,000 for it new and it was just my personal vehicle then no loss or gain reported...same if you sell your sweater, shoes, etc...you used your money to buy it (which you earned from your job to which you already paid tax on) so selling it just recoups that money...no big deal...so cleaning out garage, yardsale items, etc are n/a which is why they use the 200 items and $20,000 rule for reporting.

 

If however you're in teh business of selling items you bought then you need to report it and should report anything you run as a business...For example, I start a business with $1000...i spend that $1000 at local garage sales buying items i know i can sell for more online...I sell those items i collected for $2000...you now have a $1,000 gain that you need to report and pay tax on.


 

Message 207 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

LOL, yup, that crazy government with their hand in my wallet taxing everyone is just plain nuts.....hardee har har

 

OP, as a new seller, don't, and I repeat, DON'T use a drop shipper.  Sell only items that you physically have.  Are you aware that you are responsible for the cost of return shipping if a buyer opens a INAD case on the $1300 above ground swimming pool that you have listed, or the $920 7 piece travel collection for a baby? 

 

....and FYI, you should never post your personal email address on a public website.

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!
Message 208 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

Our friend big government, everyone shoud send the government a check monthly for their government services bill, otherwise it is just plain extort.

This is the government the founding fathers warned us about.

Message 209 of 236
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Re: Does Ebay or Paypal report our sales to IRS?

Message 210 of 236
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