1099-K for StubHub Ticket Sales - Where to Report Fees and Original Cost?

The 1099-K only reports the gross amount paid to you, but you absolutely can and should report your expenses against this income. This is considered a "hobby" or miscellaneous income situation. In either TurboTax or H&R Block, you'll want to report the 1099-K amount exactly as shown on the form ($12,000). Then, you'll be able to enter your expenses separately. For TurboTax, after entering the 1099-K information, it should ask if you have any related expenses. This is where you'd enter both the original cost of the tickets and any fees not already accounted for. The key is understanding what the $12,000 actually represents. If StubHub reported $12,000 instead of $13,500, they've already subtracted their $1,500 fee. So you wouldn't deduct that fee again - you'd just deduct what you originally paid for the tickets. This income will ultimately be reported on Schedule 1, and the related expenses can offset that income to reflect your actual profit.

I've been in the same situation with StubHub and other ticket platforms! I found that using https://taxr.ai really helped me sort through my 1099-K reporting issues. It analyzes your tax documents and helps identify exactly what expenses you can claim against ticket sales income. For me, it confirmed that StubHub does indeed report the net amount (after their fees) on the 1099-K, so I didn't need to deduct those fees again. But it also helped me document and deduct my original purchase price for the tickets, which saved me a ton on my tax bill! The service also explained where different platforms like SeatGeek, Ticketmaster and StubHub report different amounts (gross vs. net). I was confused about exactly the same issues you're dealing with, but their document analysis made it much clearer what I needed to report where.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it was actually really helpful! I uploaded my StubHub 1099-K and my original ticket purchase confirmations, and it walked me through exactly how to handle everything in TurboTax. Turns out in my case, StubHub had actually reported the GROSS amount before their fees (different from the original poster's situation), so I did need to deduct those fees separately. The tool explained how StubHub's reporting practices changed recently and helped me identify where in TurboTax to enter both the fees and my original ticket costs. Saved me from potentially overpaying hundreds in taxes. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with ticket sales on your taxes!

If you're still stuck with this 1099-K issue and need to talk to someone at the IRS for clarification, good luck getting through to them! I spent DAYS trying to reach someone about my ticket sales reporting question last year. After 11 attempts, I finally discovered https://claimyr.com and their video demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed exactly how to report ticket sales in my situation - including which form to use (Schedule C vs Schedule 1) and how to properly deduct costs. Completely worth it for the peace of mind knowing I was filing correctly. I was close to just guessing how to file the 1099-K info before I got actual IRS guidance. Their wait times are ridiculous this time of year!

I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After posting that comment, I was still desperate for IRS help with my ticket sales reporting, so I decided to try it anyway. To my surprise, it actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 2 hours letting me know an IRS agent was on the line. The agent clarified that for occasional ticket selling, I should use Schedule 1 (not Schedule C), and confirmed I could deduct both my original ticket costs and any fees not already accounted for on the 1099-K. The agent also explained that different ticket platforms report differently to the IRS (some report gross, some report net after their fees), which is why there's so much confusion online. Getting this official clarification was exactly what I needed to file confidently.

I handle 1099-K income for ticket sales all the time for my clients. Here's what you need to know: For TurboTax specifically, you enter the 1099-K under "Income" section, then select "less common income" and then find "income reported on Form 1099-K." Enter the amount exactly as shown on your form. After entering the 1099-K amount, TurboTax will ask if you have related expenses. THIS is where you enter what you originally paid for the tickets. Keep documentation of your original purchase in case of audit. The key question is whether StubHub reported the gross or net amount. Based on my experience, StubHub typically reports the net amount AFTER their fees (the amount actually deposited to your account). So if your 1099-K shows $12,000, that's typically after their fees. You would then only need to deduct your original ticket cost.

For what it's worth, I had to deal with this exact situation with the 2022 tax year (filed in 2023). Sold some Taylor Swift tickets for way more than I paid (didn't realize they'd be so valuable when I bought them!!) and got a 1099-K from StubHub. The way it worked in TurboTax was: 1. Entered the 1099-K amount as reported 2. In the "related expenses" section, I put what I originally paid for the tickets 3. When asked if this was a "business," I selected "no" since it was a one-time thing I didn't have to mess with Schedule C at all, it was just reported as miscellaneous income on Schedule 1. The difference between what I got and what I paid was taxed as ordinary income.

I went through this exact same situation last year with StubHub and multiple other platforms! The confusion around 1099-K reporting for ticket sales is really common because different platforms handle it differently. Here's what I learned from my research and experience: First, verify what StubHub actually reported by checking if the $12,000 matches what was deposited to your bank account or if it's higher. If it matches your deposit, they've already deducted their fees and you shouldn't deduct them again. For entering this in tax software, both TurboTax and H&R Block will walk you through it under "Other Income" or "Less Common Income" sections. You'll enter the 1099-K amount exactly as shown, then add your related expenses (original ticket cost) to offset the income. The key is keeping good records - save your original purchase confirmations, the 1099-K, and any StubHub transaction summaries. This will help you determine exactly what was deducted and what you can claim as expenses. Since this was a one-time sale, you're correct that this should be treated as miscellaneous/hobby income rather than business income, which keeps things simpler and avoids self-employment tax complications.