if i'm for example 5000 over that threshold hold(net) is that the taxable amount or the entire amount as a whole? Ebay does not do a good job of explaining this
ALL OF IT is taxable even if you never get a tax reporting form. The limits are for the need for the form to be issued only.
You are taxed on the capital gain or profit you made. This means if you received $24,000 from selling items on eBay that had a cost basis of $4,000, you would be taxed on the $20,000 in profit.
Depending on your other income, your intent, what you were selling your income will be taxed as self employment or as capital gains/investment income.
Self-Employment income would come into play if you were buying items for resale and selling them on eBay or you were doing this as a business. This income would be subject to the 15.3% SE tax along with your regular federal taxes as well as state and local taxes.
If you are selling your personal items to clean out your home, then this would be taxed at a Capital Gains rate. Your capital gains rate is between 0% and 15%. If your income is over the threshold $459,750 for a single person then you may have part of your gains taxed at 20%.
If this is a business, then you will need to use TurboTax Self-Employed or TurboTax Home and Business to include your eBay income on Schedule C.
If this is not a business and you are just cleaning out your house, then you would enter the 1099-K and take the following steps to enter the form and your cost basis.
Next you will select
The IRS expects to see the amount from the 1099-K on your return somewhere so the entire amount reported must be entered on the return. Failure for the IRS to see this amount on your return will win you an IRS CP 2000 notice in a couple of years for under reported income.
How much will be taxable after expenses or cost basis is applied is a totally different conversation discussed in the other post.