workamping, taxes, and social security

[curlysue321]

To those that workamp for a free rv site is there a dollar amount reported for tax purposes and to Social Security. Does one get a W2 at the end of the year? Is it considered taxable income?

[Keily]

Does any one know , now that Carefree RV Resorts have purchased 15 camp resorts in Ontario Canada, if I as a Canadian work camp for a site at their resort in Ontario for the summer now be able to work at their resorts in Florida for the winter?

Just wondering, thanks

[mikeleblanc413]

There are a couple of deal breakers for me when working for a site: when a 1099 is issued and when I have to pay electricity. I rarely work for site, but if being considered these two items are major red lights!

[crabbin_cabin]

HappyKayakers wrote:
It varies from one place to another. Most places living on site is a condition of employment and therefore not taxable. Other places have been audited by the IRS and found in violation of the rules so the sites are now treated as taxable income. Can't remember the name right now but I think there's a big outfit in AZ where all sites are taxable now.

Cal-am parks, in AZ, all send w-2s (or 1099 -I can't remember which) to all their workampers. Have done so for the last 2-3 years after being audited.

[jakejj]

I asked a couple that worked the amazon christmas 2013 season in campbellvill KY location and they did not get a 1099 for RV site. They did pay the usual taxes which get detected from paycheck.
Not sure about other locations with amazon but KY did not.

SteveRuff wrote:
Seasonal work at Amazon requires all the usual deductions from your pay checks and they provide the W2 when you have finished.

[denverhank]

HappyKayakers wrote:
It varies from one place to another. Most places living on site is a condition of employment and therefore not taxable. Other places have been audited by the IRS and found in violation of the rules so the sites are now treated as taxable income. Can't remember the name right now but I think there's a big outfit in AZ where all sites are taxable now.

Cal-Am went to issuing w-2's a few years ago for workampers which makes you an employee. Whether it's taxable or not would depend on your entire tax situation. I just plug all the numbers into TurboTax and let the software figure it out.

[SteveRuff]

Seasonal work at Amazon requires all the usual deductions from your pay checks and they provide the W2 when you have finished.

[Fulltimer50]

If you work so many hours for a site, the site is not free. You are working for it. Its not income. Just another way to pay for the site.

[Medico]

If living on site is required, then get a piece of paper on letter head stating that you are required to live on site to perform your duties, whether this is a paid job or a volunteer job. In most cases I have read about this allows the cost of the site to NOT be included in your taxable income.

Note: I am NOT a tax accountant. This is just what I have read in various forums.

[MTPockets1]

Where we've been camp hosts, it's always as volunteers. Never got any paper from TX, CO, or WY. Don't think I would be interested in volunteering if I had to pay a tax for the site.

[bluegypsy]

We've had several "site-only" and/or "hours for site" jobs, and always made sure there was mention of "living on site" as a requirement for the job.
The only tax problem we've had was when we were paid a "stipend" at a wildlife refuge in Alaska. They issued a 1099 we never received (address change) and so didn't report it (we've had stipends in the past that didn't need to be reported). Three years later we got a letter from the IRS saying we owed them $xxxx.xx for this "unreported self-employment income". Sent them a Schedule C listing expenses we incurred in travelling to and from AK. Expenses were more than the stipend, so we got a refund check from the IRS (eventually!)

[USA_Traveler]

Path1 wrote:
If you feel guilty about not paying any taxes. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below.


Gifts to the United States
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Credit Accounting Branch
3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D
Hyattsville, MD 20782

Yep,will get my check in the mail tomorrow:)

[2chiefsRus]

curlysue321 wrote:
To those that workamp for a free rv site is there a dollar amount reported for tax purposes and to Social Security. Does one get a W2 at the end of the year? Is it considered taxable income?

The answer is it depends. It is something that should be asked upfront when deciding to take a job. Don't forget to consider the State tax possibility too. If the employer claims the expense of paying you AND the value of the site he gave you as a business expense, then he will report it to the appropriate agency on the appropriate documents.

[HappyKayakers]

It varies from one place to another. Most places living on site is a condition of employment and therefore not taxable. Other places have been audited by the IRS and found in violation of the rules so the sites are now treated as taxable income. Can't remember the name right now but I think there's a big outfit in AZ where all sites are taxable now.

[doxiemom11]

As a condition of our working, as hosts we are required to live on site. We therefore do not receive a 1099 or W-2 for the value of the site. We have had 5 different positions now at private, federal, county and for a concessionaire and no paper.