How Much Money Can You Win Gambling Before You Have To Pay Taxes

The glittering lights and ringing bells of the casino. The dream of winning the lottery. Gambling can be a lot of fun for most people, and when your number finally comes up -- well, isn't that the whole point?

Of course, we all want to go home big winners with a wad of cash in our pockets. However, once you win, the IRS does, too. In fact, they expect and require you to report your gambling winnings. Gambling winnings (which the IRS refers to as 'income') can include:

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How Much Money Can You Win Gambling Before You Have To Pay Taxes Owed

Generally, gambling winnings are reportable to the IRS if the amount paid is (a) $600 or more and (b) at least 300 times the amount of the wager. This requirement primarily applies to lotteries, sweepstakes and other big winnings from small bets. It does not apply to winnings from bingo, keno, and slot machines. The tax rate deductible from your winnings is still the same irrespective of the amount you win. So it doesn't matter if you earn $2,000 or $400,000 because betting taxes are not progressive. In some cases, the tax (25%) is already deducted by the casino before you are paid your winning.

• Lotteries
• Raffles
• Horse/dog races
• Noncash prizes -- like cars, trips or houses

What you need to report depends on how much you win, what type of gambling you were doing, and the ratio of your winnings to your wager.

Typically, you'll receive paperwork from the casino (or other source of your payout) to complete if you win a certain amount. You must provide your Social Security number and fill out IRS Form W-2G. This form is called 'Certain Gambling Winnings,' and allows you to report your winnings as income to Uncle Sam. You'll receive that paperwork if you win:

• $600 or more from the state lottery, horse or dog races, jai alai or other wagering (but only if the winnings are 300 times the original wager)
• $1,200 or more at a slot machine or bingo
• $1,500 or more on keno (minus the amount you spent on tickets for the winning game)
• $5,000 or more in poker tournaments

Typically in a winner situation of $5,000 or more (no matter what the game), the payee will not only require you to fill out the above-mentioned forms, but will also take 25 percent of your winnings up front to give directly to Uncle Sam [source: Bell]. If you refuse to fill out the form or provide your Social Security number, most establishments will take 28 percent of your winnings, in accordance with federal law [source: IRS].

You don't have to fill out the W2-G form for winnings on table games, including craps, blackjack, pai gow, baccarat and roulette. However, you still have to report those winnings when you file your regular income tax in April. On form 1040, on the 'Other Income' line (line 21) you report any other winnings, like prize or award money.

Here's where things can get a little more complicated. Just as you report your winnings to the IRS, you can also report your losses. On line 28 of form 1040, 'Other Miscellaneous Deductions,' if you have any gambling losses, note them there. However, your losses can't exceed your winnings. It's also important to note that you'll only want to do this if you're already itemizing your deductions and will end up deducting more than the standard [source: IRS]

All of this information illustrates why it's crucial to keep detailed records of your gambling -- both wins and losses -- especially if you do it often . Signing up for a player's card at a casino is a great idea, because the casino keeps an electronic record for you to easily access [source: Taxpertise].

The takeaway here is that the IRS treats any gambling or contest winnings as income. You should report all of it, even if the casino or other payee doesn't hand you a tax form to fill out. State tax laws apply too so be sure to check with your state's department of revenue to determine your liability [source: Ritchie].

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Sources

• Bell, Kay. 'Reporting gambling winnings.' Bankrate. Feb. 3, 2014. (Sept. 22, 2014) http://www.bankrate.com/finance/money-guides/reporting-gambling-winnings.aspx
• IRS. 'Gambling Winnings Are Always Taxable Income.' Aug. 19, 2014. (Sept. 22, 2014) http://www.irs.gov/uac/Gambling-Winnings-Are-Always-Taxable-Income
• IRS. 'Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754.' 2014. (Sept. 22, 2014) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw2g.pdf
• Ritchie, Josh. 'How Are Gambling Winnings Taxed?' TurboTax Blog. March 30, 2012. (Sept. 22, 2014) http://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/2012/03/30/how-are-gambling-winnings-taxed/
• Roche, Yolanda S., E.A. and Roche, Roger C., E.A. 'The Taxman Cometh.' Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2014. (Sept. 22, 2014) http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/features/taxlaws.html
• Taxpertise. 'Uncle Sam Wants His Cut on Your Gambling Winnings.' FOXBusiness. Sept. 20, 2013. (Oct. 30, 2014) http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/09/19/uncle-sam-wants-his-cut-on-your-gambling-winnings/

Social security refers to the program which uses public funds to ensure a degree of economic security for the people. In the United States, it was established in 1935 which takes care of disability, old age, income for the elderly amongst others.

The taxes used to run the social security program is from both employers and employees. These taxes are not used primarily for the welfare of these employees and employers but for people who have attained retirement age or people who are eligible to benefit from the program. It is a cycle. People who can work how pay taxes for those who have worked before them and when the workers of how retire, those who are working then get to pay their own social security.

The program covers retirement pensions, disability insurance, survivor benefits, unemployment insurance. This means not everyone is entitled to social security benefits. The group of people who are entitled to it are between ages 65 and 67 all depends on the year you were born, you could be eligible at age 62 but applying at this age would reduce your social security benefits permanently, spouses. These are not the only requirements to qualify you for social security there are other important determinants for your eligibility. The number of years you worked is important too. You are assigned a number of credits for every year worked. For every $1360 earned, you are assigned one credit. What this means is depending on when you born, you would or would not be eligible for social security benefits.

For disability benefits, you might be discontinued from receiving it is you come into some money from say, the lottery, gambling etc. The receipt of this form of income does not necessarily have to be you directly, it could be your spouse. If the amount you win is more than $2000, sorry, but you do not qualify for social security benefits that month. If the amount is less, your social security benefits will be matched dollar to dollar with the amount. Whatever is left, you will be paid.

A great impact is felt on your tax returns when you win gambling than when you lose. The amount which you win gambling might seem small but the impact on your tax return are substantial. The tax which you have to pay would most likely override the amount won even your gambling losses on say, fruityslots.com,would not cover it.

You are required by law to report your gambling winnings. This is also done by the casino. Once a player exceeds the $1,200 mark on say, slots, a report is filed. Check your tax report and any amount won from gambling is on the first page.

The reporting of your gambling winnings actually cover all amounts won but in the event that the amount won exceeds the amounts listed below, they should be reported on your Form W-2G.

.$5,000 or more won in poker tournaments.

.$1,500 or more won in keno

How Much Money Can You Win Gambling Before You Have To Pay Taxes Deductible

.$1,200 or more won at slots or bingo

How Much Money Can You Win Gambling Before You Have To Pay Taxes Due

.$600 or more won at betting if the number of bets 300 or more. These amounts might be reduced when the wager placed by the winner is considered. It is required by law and the regulatory authorities that all amounts won gambling should be reported on your tax returns.

Gambling losses also have an impact on social security. The can be used to claim tax returns, but this applies only to when it is equal to the total amount of gambling winnings reported. They are claimed under itemized deduction. Remember that you can only successfully claim losses if all your gambling receipts and records are complete and in order. As this will be the evidence needed to make the ‘itemized deductions’. So, technicality your gambling losses are reclaimed through your gambling winnings but only to the extend that the amounts are the same.

According to the IRS, gambling winnings are taxable income. They only make provision for the deduction of losses. Gambling activities whose winnings will be taxed are games like poker, slots, bingo, racetrack games amongst others. Gambling winnings on a whole affect your social security hugely because whether you lose the same amount of money you win while gambling you would be paying a lot in taxes. When you win from gambling, the amount won is subjected to a 25% tax. There are certain higher amounts however which an income tax will be applied.

Most people especially retirees play the lottery. So they are concerned if this would affect their social security benefits. Well, the good news is that, your social security benefits is not affected by winning the lottery. This is because there is a social security earnings test conducted on your earnings. This worked this way. For every $2 earned, social security withholds $1 for amounts $17,640 and above as at 2019. This is applicable for workers who are not up to the full retirement age. Still, this bracket of people are concerned about the possibility of losing their benefits if they win the lottery. Good news, your benefits are safe. The lottery winnings would be taxed as required by law, but your benefits would be intact.

Gambling is fun. The possibilities for winnings are endless. You could actually win the jackpot and smile to the bank. The other arm to gambling is losing and to be honest, most people loss kore than they gain. For you as an individual who is on social security, the impact on your benefits is felt more than an individual who isn’t on social security. The soft landing you would have is the ability to report your losses when you report your winnings then the amount of losses would be deducted. This deduction isn’t carried out arbitrarily. Say, you lost $500 and won $600. The amount of losses deducted from your tax return would be $500. So, make sure you have all necessary information about your social security before you gamble.