How to report profit on 1099-K and are receipts needed?

[patrick65]

I've been interested in selling some items on services like eBay. The $600 limit has been a barrier to entry because I'm not planning to do this often. Just want to get rid of some items I don't want anymore.

My question has two parts:

1. How do we report profit on the 1099-K? I see a section for reporting the total revenue but I don't see one for reporting personal expenses.
2. Do we need to have receipts for every item for how much we spent on it? I don't have receipts for everything I want to sell. Is it okay to just put the MSRP?

[John-H2021 · Accepted solution]

Hello Patrick,

To answer the first question you don't fill out the 1099-K, you will receive a 1099-k from Ebay showing how much money you received from them.

There are 2 ways to report the income.

1. If it is a hobby then the income is reported on schedule 1 for the full amount of the 1099 no expenses allowed to be taken
2. If it is a business then it would be reported on a schedule C (self-employed income). You would report the 1099 as income and then deduct the expenses you have against making that income. You would pay self-employment tax on the net profit.

Here are a few helpful links

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/small-business-taxes/when-the-irs-classifies-your-business-as-a...

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/self-employment-taxes/4-tax-tips-for-money-making-hobbies/L89qz...

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/self-employment-taxes/beginners-tax-guide-for-the-self-employed...

 For question 2 should you get audited the IRS will want to see receipts or a resonable and constistent explaination ( appraisals, pictures and pricesof similar items bought) on how you determined the cost of the item