Displaying my ignorance

I would "guess" that instead of giving you a free camping space with the red tape required, they pay you a certain amount either $170 or $238 a week which evidently is what the standard charge for a site is. it sounds like they don't fill out a 1099/w-2 or whatever and you are on your own to report that.
bumpy

Why don't you just call the volunteer coordinator from one of the listings and ask? I bet they now all about it!

Instead of giving you cash for your "work", they are giving you a campsite that is valued at $xx. You are then responsible for claiming $xx on your taxes as income. I once had a job that provided a salary and free housing with utilities provided. When it came time to settle with Uncle Sam, I had to declare the cost of "rent" and utilities as income. Yea, I ended up PAYING that tax year. Thank goodness I left that job!

Edit: I think Uncle Sam has a double standard there, because when I left that job I went into the military. Not only did I get a salary, but 100% free housing, clothing, food, and medical! I NEVER had to declare all that on my taxes as income! Yea, I know what your thinking ...

DutchmenSport wrote:
Instead of giving you cash for your "work", they are giving you a campsite that is valued at $xx. You are then responsible for claiming $xx on your taxes as income. I once had a job that provided a salary and free housing with utilities provided. When it came time to settle with Uncle Sam, I had to declare the cost of "rent" and utilities as income. Yea, I ended up PAYING that tax year. Thank goodness I left that job!

If the housing is a requirement of the job, then it cannot be considered as income. If it is provided as a convenience to the employee, then it is considered income. As applied to a workamping situation, if the campground host is required to live in the campground as part of camp hosting, a common requirement, then the value of the campsite is not income. However, if the campground provided an office, entrance station, or other facility, and the host was required to be at that site only during specific hours, and was given a camp site just as a convenience to the worker, then the value of that camp site is considered income.

I am still wayne_tw wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
Instead of giving you cash for your "work", they are giving you a campsite that is valued at $xx. You are then responsible for claiming $xx on your taxes as income. I once had a job that provided a salary and free housing with utilities provided. When it came time to settle with Uncle Sam, I had to declare the cost of "rent" and utilities as income. Yea, I ended up PAYING that tax year. Thank goodness I left that job!

If the housing is a requirement of the job, then it cannot be considered as income. If it is provided as a convenience to the employee, then it is considered income. As applied to a workamping situation, if the campground host is required to live in the campground as part of camp hosting, a common requirement, then the value of the campsite is not income. However, if the campground provided an office, entrance station, or other facility, and the host was required to be at that site only during specific hours, and was given a camp site just as a convenience to the worker, then the value of that camp site is considered income.

The onlyproblem with that standard is the IRS will make the final determination if the job duties truly require the employee to live on site. Security work will probably pass an auditor's smell test, mowing the grass, probably not.

I am still wayne_tw wrote:
Why don't you just call the volunteer coordinator from one of the listings and ask? I bet they now all about it!

that would of course be the best way to find out. but It sounds to me like they are NOT giving you a "free" campsite with the wording like it is. they are paying you a salary that you can use to pay for the camp site. if this is not the case, that job announcement is a typical example of govt. gobblydegoop in complicating any document.
bumpy

Retdep wrote:
"Camp-rate reimbursement will be provided." From BLM posting
"Hosts eligible to receive camp rate of $34/day for 5 days of the week with 2 days off. Volunteer responsible for reporting all taxable income."

This is government speak for a per diem.

BLM and a few USFS sites are so remote that it is almost impossible to get folks to fill them.

The $34 per day is their highest rate for very remote sites and is an attempt to offset the costs of travel - often 60 miles each way or more - for food, laundry, etc. Such sites are usually far beyond cell phone service and no internet capability.

If this is one of the two sites in Montana - they even offer a mileage reimbursement from your home to the regional HQ to the site - at 14 cents per mile - which isn't even 1/4 of the fuel costs to get there.

Such a site usually has a propane reimbursement also. The campsite and any utilities is free.

The BLM and USFS have to use such language because they cannot hire 'employees' for such positions. Not only is the site not authorized a FTE head count, but the hire process simply isn't compatible with a seasonal job.

The note about taxable income - the BLM makes you responsible for determining what is taxable and what is not. They likely will not send you a 1099.

But you need to ask those specific questions of the volunteer coordinator for that site.

I thought that if they paid you more than $600 in a year they had to issue a 1099.
bumpy

It not pay, it is reimbursement for 'unusual expenses'.

The same way when you travel on the job and you are reimbursed for meals. You don't get a 1099 for those either.

But no one should take what we say as gospel. They need to talk to the volunteer coordinator about the position and how/what is paid. And may well need tax accountant help for their taxes.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
It not pay, it is reimbursement for 'unusual expenses'.

The same way when you travel on the job and you are reimbursed for meals. You don't get a 1099 for those either.

But no one should take what we say as gospel. They need to talk to the volunteer coordinator about the position and how/what is paid. And may well need tax accountant help for their taxes.

this "work" is for a federal agency. I sort of doubt they are as nonchalant as some small local campground using questionable accounting practices. And as I recall on per diem, it was based on what you would theoretically need to spend in a day traveling for your business. on my first "training" trip the person accompanying me noticed that I was jotting down the costs of meals/room etc. in my notebook. he explained that that was a bad idea. :) of course per diem was 12$ a day at that time for room and meals.
bumpy