What Taxes You are Responsible for as an eBay Seller?

There are three types of tax that you will bepayroll taxes on your own salary. If you operate as a
responsible for when you start your eBay business.Sole Proprietorship, you pay self employment tax
They are 1) sales and use tax, 2) payroll tax and 3)instead of payroll tax.
income tax.Income tax - The final type of tax is the income tax.
Sales and use tax - Just about every state, and manyNo matter how your business is structured, you will be
cities and other local authorities, imposes a sales taxrequired to pay income tax on the business' net profit.
on items sold. Each state has different rules, so it'sSole Proprietors pay income tax on their personal
important to find out the rules in your state and city. Asincome tax return (Form 1040). Your business profit is
a seller, you are responsible for collecting and remittingcalculated using Schedule C � Profit or Loss From
the proper sales tax to the state you live in. You areBusiness, and your profit is added to your other
also responsible for preparing and submitting a reportincome to determine your tax liability.
detailing the amount of your sales and the sales taxS Corporations file Form 1120S to report the business
collected.profit or loss. A Schedule K-1 is then prepared, which
You may also be subject to use taxes. This is taxesshows each shareholder's share of the net profit or
on goods you purchased out of state that you did notloss that needs to be declared on their personal tax
pay sales taxes on. The use tax generally applies toreturn.
items purchased out of state which would have beenC Corporations file Form 1120 to both report the
subject to sales tax if the purchase transaction hadbusiness net profit and to calculate the resulting income
taken place in state. The use tax came about fromtax.
the concern that purchasers could avoid paying aDepending on the state you do business in, you may
state's sales tax by making their purchases outside thealso be subject to state income taxes on your
state.business profits. The state level taxes are often
Payroll tax - The second type of tax that you arereferred to as franchise taxes.
responsible for as an eBay seller is payroll tax. If youKristine A. McKinley, CPA, Certified Financial
hire employees to help you with your eBay business,Planner�, and founder of Beacon Financial Advisors,
you are required to withhold federal income taxes,teaches individuals and families how to invest and plan
Social Security and Medicare taxes, and state incomefor retirement, college, and other financial goals. Kristine
taxes. These taxes must be submitted to the properoffers financial and tax planning on an hourly, fee-only
tax authorities on a periodic basis (usually quarterly). Inbasis.
addition you must pay unemployment insurance andFor more information on eBay taxes, sign up for our
workers' compensation on all employees.free special report 'Tax Tips for eBay Sellers' or visit
If you operate your business as an S or C Corporation,our blog.
you will need to setup payroll for yourself, and remit