Taxes on ticket resales and the 1099-K

The 1099-K threshold

Payment apps and online marketplaces, including ticket exchange and resale sites, file Form 1099-K when the payments they send you pass $20,000 across more than 200 transactions. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill reinstated that threshold retroactively, the IRS announced on October 23, 2025.

You may still receive a 1099-K below the threshold, since a marketplace can choose to send one.

A profit is taxable, a loss is not deductible

Tickets you bought to use yourself fall under the IRS rules for personal items. If you sell one for more than you paid, the profit is taxable, form or no form, and you report the gain on Form 8949 and Schedule D.

If you sell at a loss, the IRS says the loss cannot be deducted. If a 1099-K shows that sale, you can report the payment at the top of Schedule 1 so you are not taxed on it, or record it on Form 8949.

Work out your gain

Your gain is what the marketplace paid you minus what you paid for the tickets. The marketplace fee comes out first: a $200 ticket on StubHub pays $180 at 10%, so if you paid $150, the gain is $30. The calculator gives you the payout for any price.

Keep the original order confirmation and the marketplace payout statement. Together they show both sides of the gain. A tax professional can tell you how the rules apply to your sales.

Why marketplaces ask for your SSN

A marketplace needs your taxpayer identification number to file the 1099-K. Ticketmaster, for example, asks for an SSN, ITIN or EIN from your first completed sale.