Tax season is here, which means it’s time to start getting all of the necessary paperwork together to file your taxes. How and if you need to file your taxes depends on how your off-duty is run and set up with your agency.
Do you need to pay taxes on money earned working off-duty/extra-duty?
If your off-duty work is paid through your department’s payroll and shows up on your paycheck as tax withheld, then you can process your taxes via a W2 form issued. However, any income - including off-duty assignments - that you received directly from a business will need to be reported on a Schedule C. Luckily, RollKall makes it easy to report your off-duty income because we issue officers a 1099-K for all off-duty jobs paid through RollKall.
How can you prepare for tax season?
As you meet with your tax professional, it’s important to have all your questions ready to go. We have compiled a tax reporting guide that is specific to RollKall and it’s a great place to start as you are pulling all of your records together.
Here are some additional questions to ask your tax preparer so they can make recommendations for this tax year, as well as questions to help with anything you can do to prepare for the next tax season as you continue to work off-duty.
- What about off-duty jobs that weren’t run through RollKall?
- What can I use as a deduction for working off-duty?
- Should I be paying taxes on off-duty income on a quarterly basis?
- I thought the limit for filing money earned as an independent contractor was $600, but the guide says $400. Did the threshold recently drop?
- The tax deadline has been variable in recent years due to COVID-19. Is the tax deadline April 15th this year?
- Given my extra income, is there anything I can do to avoid owing taxes when it comes time to file?
You don’t have to do your taxes alone. While each person’s tax situation varies, taking advantage of professional tax assistance will only serve to make the process quicker and easier when it comes time to file. We’ve even partnered with H&R Block to help you find a tax professional if you need one.
Access your RollKall 1099-K
Learn more about how to access your 1099-K through the mobile app.
This article is for information purposes only. RollKall does not provide tax or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax professional or accounting advisor for questions regarding your specific tax situation.
