Tipping on Handpays - I feel like such a chump...

[accountinquestion]

I have experienced, and know several others who have experienced, the same thing with the IRS.

You can actually contest it successfully by argument, as I did.

But going forward the better approach is to declare a net win equal to (or above as Max suggested) the W2G amount, and then whatever you need for the loss.

Of course if you're not filling as a professional and you were planning to take the standard deduction you're going to lose that.

Meaning you didn't declare enough losses to cover your W2G wins?

Correct.

ETA I misread your posts. Meaning my declared gambling win was less than my total w2g amounts.

Was this an official audit? Do they send out some probing letter?

That is incompetence at best... why even waste their time. Unless you have some single W2G for a large amount then this is a complete waste of time for both sides.

It is stuff like this that sends people to the anti-government right.

[smurgerburger]

Meaning you didn't declare enough losses to cover your W2G wins?

Correct.

ETA I misread your posts. Meaning my declared gambling win was less than my total w2g amounts.

Was this an official audit? Do they send out some probing letter?

That is incompetence at best... why even waste their time. Unless you have some single W2G for a large amount then this is a complete waste of time for both sides.

It is stuff like this that sends people to the anti-government right.

No it's just a notice for underpayment with a bill for the amount + penalties.

My guess is they sometimes collect this way (as with Slapinfunk) and so nobody applies any pressure to stop the practice.

[accountinquestion]

Correct.

ETA I misread your posts. Meaning my declared gambling win was less than my total w2g amounts.

Was this an official audit? Do they send out some probing letter?

That is incompetence at best... why even waste their time. Unless you have some single W2G for a large amount then this is a complete waste of time for both sides.

It is stuff like this that sends people to the anti-government right.

No it's just a notice for underpayment with a bill for the amount + penalties.

My guess is they sometimes collect this way (as with Slapinfunk) and so nobody applies any pressure to stop the practice.

So they chose to selectively ignore your loss write-offs ?

Or was it becasue you wrote off more than the w2g amount and that triggered an issue (because you can only write off up to your wins?)

From what I understand slapinfunk went the other way. He under-declared his losses but the IRS didn't ignore what he did declare. You seem to have a different situation where IRS ignored your declared losses?

IRS scares the fuck out of me. In the past 5 years I've gotten 2 checks >$5k for overpaying. ugh. I should be ashamed but at least if I am audited I have little to be concerned about.

How many gamblers have you known who have had full on audits?

[smurgerburger]

Was this an official audit? Do they send out some probing letter?

That is incompetence at best... why even waste their time. Unless you have some single W2G for a large amount then this is a complete waste of time for both sides.

It is stuff like this that sends people to the anti-government right.

No it's just a notice for underpayment with a bill for the amount + penalties.

My guess is they sometimes collect this way (as with Slapinfunk) and so nobody applies any pressure to stop the practice.

So they chose to selectively ignore your loss write-offs ?

Or was it becasue you wrote off more than the w2g amount and that triggered an issue (because you can only write off up to your wins?)

From what I understand slapinfunk went the other way. He under-declared his losses but the IRS didn't ignore what he did declare. You seem to have a different situation where IRS ignored your declared losses?

IRS scares the fuck out of me. In the past 5 years I've gotten 2 checks >$5k for overpaying. ugh. I should be ashamed but at least if I am audited I have little to be concerned about.

How many gamblers have you known who have had full on audits?

If you declare aggregate wins lower than your w2g total they claim you are underreporting regardless of what aggregate losses you declare.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

If you declare aggregate wins lower than your w2g total they claim you are underreporting regardless of what aggregate losses you declare.

Yes. This is what my accountant warned me of. Then I would need to prove where that extra money came from that I lost.

[jdog]

Why should I seriously think the tip is going into her pocket?

Yes that's really the question, isn't it? Even before- should I tip this person or even how much should I tip? The question needs to be answered: who is actually benefiting from these tips?

My wife and her friends have worked in the service industry for many years and I can tell you that a lot more places tip pool than you probably realize. And almost all places around here require some tip sharing with other employees. IE: Even if your server does not pool with other servers, still a small percentage will go to the bartenders, bussers, sushi chef, etc... So if you ever decide to stiff the server and leave nothing. Guess what?? Many servers still have to tip percentages out to other employees based on your check total, so it actually COSTS them money to serve you because you left nothing. Better watch your back if you ever do this. Personally I will never leave less than 15%, even if the service is awful, maybe they're having a bad day. You never know what someone else is dealing with.

[Dan Druff]

Why should I seriously think the tip is going into her pocket?

Yes that's really the question, isn't it? Even before- should I tip this person or even how much should I tip? The question needs to be answered: who is actually benefiting from these tips?

My wife and her friends have worked in the service industry for many years and I can tell you that a lot more places tip pool than you probably realize. And almost all places around here require some tip sharing with other employees. IE: Even if your server does not pool with other servers, still a small percentage will go to the bartenders, bussers, sushi chef, etc... So if you ever decide to stiff the server and leave nothing. Guess what?? Many servers still have to tip percentages out to other employees based on your check total, so it actually COSTS them money to serve you because you left nothing. Better watch your back if you ever do this. Personally I will never leave less than 15%, even if the service is awful, maybe they're having a bad day. You never know what someone else is dealing with.

I understand this logic, and I rarely leave zero tip at restaurants.

However, if the server is directly confrontational with me, or almost completely absent, I will leave zero tip. My general rule of thumb is, "If it's bad enough to leave zero tip, it's also bad enough to complain about the server to the manager."

So if I don't complain to the manager, I also don't leave zero tip.

I also never penalize the server for kitchen issues or anything else beyond their control.

With that said, the exact structure of tipping out among employees falls into the "not my problem" department. The customer's implied responsibility is to tip the industry standard if the service is at least semi-decent, but they have the right to leave zero if it is substandard. That's why it's optional. If you cannot control yourself and get outright rude and confrontational with customers, then a service job is not for you, and you should take a different type of position. I will never tip anyone who is extremely rude/nasty with me, or completely abandons the service they're supposed to give me. If the "tipping out" causes them to lose money as a result of my non-tip, that's not my problem.

[MisterV]

Sure, tipping is "Optional:" except when it isn't.

What do you do in a situation where you and a large party go to a place that charges a fixed tip percentage for parties over a certain number, and the service sucks?

I suppose all you could do is complain, but would they give you a break?

Dunno.

[Rob.Singer]

There are 5 simple and easy rules for tipping in this country:

1. If the restaurant tip % is fixed and isn't optional, that's just the way it is. Complaining about servers, service, or food is meaningless. Who the f*** cares how they treat the next customer.

2. NEVER be stupid enuf to tip any casino personnel, regardless of how much they try to give you the false impression that you're in your "home away from home" BS.

3. NEVER be so mindless as to leave a tip for hotel room-cleaners. Other people's salaries are none of your business. If you're dumb and weak enuf to be "concerned" about their wages and/or quality of life, you belong in Joe Biden's administration or in a gay bar.

4. If you find yourself caving in to the pressures of punching in a tip on those card readers in fast food restaurants, go the full route and leave tips at Walgreens, banks, doctor offices, grocery stores, etc. Everyone loves to watch a sap in action.

5. If you REALLY love tipping and enjoy traveling the USA, go to the Spearmint Rhino often and shove as many bills as you like into the g-strings. They don't wear them in Hawaii.

[jdog]

I suppose all you could do is complain, but would they give you a break?

Depends on where you are. At my wife's current restaurant they would probably reduce or entirely take off the gratuity, but it's a very high end place. The service is generally excellent. But they are also required to ask if you accept the 20% before they hand you the check, so it's kind of speak now or forever hold your peace.

The mandatory gratuity comes in handy so servers can actually make any money on 'certain' types of people. When checks are very high, sometimes young people or other 'certain' types of people refuse to tip anywhere near 15-20% because either they can't actually afford to eat there or just simply can't stomach giving such a large amount of money for a tip. This can often be attributed to the culture of certain ethnicities or people who don't live in the US.

[MisterV]

5. If you REALLY love tipping and enjoy traveling the USA, go to the Spearmint Rhino often and shove as many bills as you like into the g-strings. They don't wear them in Hawaii.

The "dancers" in stumptown don't wear 'em either: full nudity.

There's more strip bars in Portland per capita than any other US city.

[jdog]

I will never tip anyone who is extremely rude/nasty with me, or completely abandons the service they're supposed to give me. If the "tipping out" causes them to lose money as a result of my non-tip, that's not my problem.

You certainly have the right to leave nothing as you see fit but keep in mind that some people go to a restaurant and enjoy verbally abusing the employees and managers. As a server you generally have to take a lot of shit from people and you never know how many obnoxious aholes your server may be dealing with that day. As you said, it's not a job for everybody. But if you do choose to leave zero then make sure you NEVER eat at that restaurant again. They will remember you.

[Don Perignom]

[MisterV]

A classic discussion of the pros and cons of tipping.

[Rob.Singer]

Enough with this talk about tipping on handpays or in any manner anywhere in a casino!
Tip ANYTHING, and you're a weak idiot. Period.

Stifle yourselves.

[redietz]

Enough with this talk about tipping on handpays or in any manner anywhere in a casino!
Tip ANYTHING, and you're a weak idiot. Period.

Stifle yourselves.

Not everyone gets the reference:

[MaxPen]

Enough with this talk about tipping on handpays or in any manner anywhere in a casino!
Tip ANYTHING, and you're a weak idiot. Period.

Stifle yourselves.

Not everyone gets the reference:

Feeling the nostalgia Meathead?

[DGenBen]

I suppose all you could do is complain, but would they give you a break?

Depends on where you are. At my wife's current restaurant they would probably reduce or entirely take off the gratuity, but it's a very high end place. The service is generally excellent. But they are also required to ask if you accept the 20% before they hand you the check, so it's kind of speak now or forever hold your peace.

The mandatory gratuity comes in handy so servers can actually make any money on 'certain' types of people. When checks are very high, sometimes young people or other 'certain' types of people refuse to tip anywhere near 15-20% because either they can't actually afford to eat there or just simply can't stomach giving such a large amount of money for a tip. This can often be attributed to the culture of certain ethnicities or people who don't live in the US.

Do the ‘certain’ types of people that don’t tip (the ones that live here in the US) rhyme with crack?

[accountinquestion]

I believe often times they see it as a form of reparations.

[Garnabby]

Probably the best match to your new avatar is to Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Wole Soyinka).

Of Germany and Nigeria: Einstein and Soyinka

https://www.modernghana.com/news/626...d-soyinka.html

Much of his writing has been concerned with "the oppressive boot and the irrelevance of the colour of the foot that wears it". During the regime of General Sani Abacha (1993–98), Soyinka escaped from Nigeria on a motorcycle via the "NADECO Route". Abacha later proclaimed a death sentence against him "in absentia". With civilian rule restored to Nigeria in 1999, Soyinka returned to his nation.

In December 1932 Einstein decided to leave Germany forever (he would never go back). It became obvious to Einstein that his life was in danger. A Nazi organization published a magazine with Einstein's picture and the caption “Not Yet Hanged” on the cover.

Thanks for locking in my old avatar. Ha.