When you
are paid for work, the income you earn is taxable. This is true whether you are an
employee or a subcontractor. The income you earn from all side jobs is also taxable. It
does not matter whether you:
- Are paid by cash or check
- Get a credit on a bill
- Receive other goods or services in exchange
- Collect the payment later
- Receive a form 1099 or W-2 (or not) showing the amount of income you earned
When you work as an employee, your employer gives you a W-2 form that shows the income
you have earned. When you work for yourself, you may or may not receive a
Form 1099 from the people you work for; however, you are responsible for keeping track of
and reporting all of your income.
Now that you know what is included in income, you can choose an accounting method.
What is an Accounting Method?
An accounting method is a set of rules used to determine when and how to report income
and expenses in your books and on your income tax returns. You choose an accounting method
when you file your first tax return. If you want to change your accounting method, you
must get IRS approval.
No single accounting method is required of all taxpayers. You must use a system that
clearly shows your income and expenses and you must maintain records that will enable you
to file a correct return. In addition to your permanent books of account, you must keep
any other records necessary to support the entries on your books and tax returns.
If you do not regularly use an accounting method that clearly shows your income, your
income will be figured under the method that is in the opinion of the IRS.
There are two basic accounting methods:
- Cash - You report income you receive during the year. You usually deduct expenses in the
tax year you pay them. Most individuals and many sole proprietors use the cash method
because they find it easier to keep cash method records
- Accrual - You generally report income when you earn it, even though you may receive
payment in a later year. You deduct expenses in the tax year you incur them, whether or
not you pay them that year. The purpose of an accrual method is to match income and
expenses in the correct year
Cash Method Example
Interest is credited to your bank account in December 2007, but you do not withdraw it or
enter it into your passbook until 2008. You must include the amount in gross income for
2007, not 2008.
Accrual Method Example
You are a calendar year, accrual basis taxpayer. You sold a computer on December 28, 2007.
You billed the customer in the first week of January 2008, but did not receive the payment
until February 2008. You include the amount received in February for the computer in your
2007 income.
Choosing and Changing Accounting Methods
You choose an accounting method for your business when you file your first income tax
return that includes a Schedule C for the business. If an inventory is necessary to
account for your income, you must use an accrual method of accounting for sales and
purchases. Inventories include goods held for sale in the normal course of business. They
also include raw materials and supplies that will physically become part of merchandise
intended for sale. If you want to change your accounting method, you must get IRS
approval. A change in your accounting method includes a change not only in your overall
system of accounting but also in the treatment of any material item. A material item is
one that affects the proper time for inclusion of income or allowance of a deduction.
Once you have chosen your accounting method, advanced IRS approval is generally
required if you want to change your accounting method. File Form 3115 to request a change
in accounting method.
If you are using an incorrect accounting method, it is to your advantage to change it
before IRS contacts you for an examination. For additional information refer to, Revenue
Procedure 97-37. More stringent requirements apply for taxpayers wishing to change their
accounting method during an examination.
In many situations advanced IRS approval is not required to change your accounting
method. However, Form 3115 is still required. You should file as early in the year as
possible to give IRS enough time to respond to the form before the original due date of
the return for the year of change. If you do not file a Form 3115 during the year of
change, an extension to file the form will be granted only in unusual and compelling
circumstances.
The following Revenue Procedures apply to automatic Accounting Methods changes:
Caution: It is important to read the entire revenue procedure after determining
that a particular accounting method change applies to you.
- Revenue Procedure 2001-10 allows taxpayers with annual gross receipts under $1,000,000
who were required to use the accrual method of accounting because they have inventory to
change to the cash method of accounting without advance permission from IRS
- Revenue Procedure 99-49 describes several accounting method changes that no longer
require advance permission from IRS: (note that Form 3115 is still required)
- Depreciation: You are using an incorrect method for depreciation or amortization and
wish to change to a permissible method
- LIFO inventory method: you wish to change from the LIFO method of inventory to another
permissible method
Filing Form 3115
Changing your accounting method generally requires IRS approval. To get approval, you
must file Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method during the tax year for
which the change is requested.
Incomplete Form 3115
If your application is not properly completed according to the instructions for a
current Form 3115, you will be notified and given 21 days form the date of the
notification letter to furnish the necessary information. If you do not submit the
required information within the reply period, the IRS will not process your Form 3115. The
IRS can grant up to an additional 15 days to furnish the information.
Additional Resources
For additional information, see Publication
538, Accounting Periods and Methods.
