You may have heard about a new tax law that went into effect this year. We believe this new regulation just doesn’t make sense. It creates confusing and unnecessary paperwork for millions of casual sellers on eBay, who will now receive tax forms even when they don’t owe taxes.
To help support our sellers, we’ve been working to put pressure on Congress by bringing our community together to make their voices heard. We need sellers like you to speak out today and tell Congress to act in the interest of sellers across the US.
Here’s what’s happening
Companies like eBay are required to report sales to the IRS using a tax form called a 1099-K. Until recently, you would only get a 1099-K if you sold over $20,000, or more than 200 items. Starting this year, new legislation has lowered that threshold to just $600, even if that was from a single sale all year. Where it gets complicated is you’ll get this form even if you don’t owe anything, because not all sales are taxable–for example, if you sell something for less than you paid for it. That means millions of sellers will now get unnecessary tax forms, creating confusion and pointless paperwork–both for the IRS, and for small-time sellers who aren’t set up to deal with it.
Imagine selling an old bike for $800 that cost you $1,500 a few years ago. Since you didn’t make a profit, the IRS doesn’t consider that taxable income. But under this new law, you’re still going to get a 1099-K. And now you’ll have to prove to the IRS that you don’t actually owe any taxes on that sale, which makes for complicated accounting work.
Here’s what you can do
We’re asking our community to take action today. Recently, new legislation was introduced in Congress to raise the threshold and limit the number of sellers getting these unnecessary forms. But we need your support to make sure it will pass!
Go to our eBay Main Street website and tell Congress to act now to support Americans selling online. It will only take a few minutes, and if we succeed, it can save you, and millions of other sellers the hassle of needless tax forms for years to come.
Speak out today
You can learn more in our FAQ about Form 1099-K and how it affects you.
Thanks for being part of the eBay community.
