Unionized college athletes: Taxes? What taxes?

[Reliable Source]

i say we relieve them of all academic requirements. Just have em play FB and they can worry about taxes tjemselves

[aroth]

I was only commenting on an observation and asking a question. I'm not taking sides on the union issue.

The rest of your post was too long so I didn't read it.

[CousinRicky]

I don't think that housing is taxable to an employee as income if as part of their employment they are required to live on site in employer owned housing.

I really doubt the IRS would risk the ridicule by going after scholarship athletes. On the other hand, if they were paid cash then that could change.

Go Bulls!

 

As a former Revenue Agent (not fed) if the gov't thinks it is owed money it will go after it.  There is no playing nice when it comes to taxes owed.  NJ pretty quickly tried to identify money earned in the state by people performing in Atlantic City casinos as more money in the state's till.  Trust me, they hardly worry about looking ridiculous.  If the kids become employees the IRS and every state they play in will go after that income (and rightfully so).  Identifying what part is earned in a particular state becomes the issue.

[WWMJD]

 

My understanding is that the IRS is being kind by not forcing any food or housing supplied to athletes to be considered income, as it isn't an educational expense. I think we are all aware of how long the IRS's kindness lasts, and unionizing/being deemed an employee would certainly be poking the hornet's nest. This move could come back to bite all college athletes if it stirs the IRS into enforcing housing and food athletes receive to be claimed as income.

 

 

The IRS should go after it.  Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues.  This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

 

 

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return.  Chances are the IRS would still not consider the tuition and books income even if scholarship athletes were designated employees but additional taxes (social security, medicare) would have to be paid on the compensation received.  The benefits would probably not be taxed because what professional athlete gets taxed for training at a team facility.  But athletes may owe state income tax in states they perform.  So players in Florida would owe taxes for road games in other states.

 

So you are all OK with the NCAA exploiting the "student athletes"?  Coaches make millions, universities make millions, administrators make millions, everyone makes millions but the people actually playing the games.

 

A lot of the student athletes are concerned with other things besides getting cash in their pockets.  What about student athletes who are injured and can no longer play?  The universities do not have to maintain their scholarship, and they could cut them from the team.  Therefore the player is left with no way to pay for their education, and a life long disability.  Who takes care of those student athletes now?  They gave up their bodies so coaches could make millions, universities could make millions, administrators could make millions, yet they are not even afforded the dignity of completing their education or compensated with healthcare to cover their life long injuries.

 

Do some schools take care of students in those situations?  Some do, but many find ways to worm out of paying for those responsibilites.  Just look at our friend to the east of USF, the good ole UCF.  They had a player die in practice, and the coaches, UCF, and even the State of Florida wormed their way out of compensating his family for the death of the player.  The State of Florida is the worst, since they pass a convenient law that caps money paid out in lawsuits.  It would be nice if private citizens had that type of protection from lawsuits.

 

It is so funny how people get up in arms as soon as they see the word union, as if someone just said Al-Qaeda or Russia.  You know all those things that you enjoy such as:

• Actually attending primary and secondary school instead of working, i.e. no child labor
• 40 hour work week
• Paid vacations
• Employer provided health care
• Safe work conditions
• And a whole host of others

are from unions, you know, organized labor.

 

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them.  They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season.  They should have a say in the safety of their sport.  They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes.  They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

 

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

 

 

I agree with some of what you are saying.  However, let's face it - the old have been exploiting the young in this country for some time now.  A huge number of college students are already basically working without pay at all (much less than these players are receiving, and with FAR fewer protections) for the hope to help develop their skills... we are in the era of the unpaid internship.  Again, not disagreeing with the jist of what you said, I just think the problem you have identified runs far, FAR deeper than college athletics.

Edited April 17, 2014 by WWMJD

[BullFan98]

 

My understanding is that the IRS is being kind by not forcing any food or housing supplied to athletes to be considered income, as it isn't an educational expense. I think we are all aware of how long the IRS's kindness lasts, and unionizing/being deemed an employee would certainly be poking the hornet's nest. This move could come back to bite all college athletes if it stirs the IRS into enforcing housing and food athletes receive to be claimed as income.

 

 

The IRS should go after it.  Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues.  This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

 

 

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return.  Chances are the IRS would still not consider the tuition and books income even if scholarship athletes were designated employees but additional taxes (social security, medicare) would have to be paid on the compensation received.  The benefits would probably not be taxed because what professional athlete gets taxed for training at a team facility.  But athletes may owe state income tax in states they perform.  So players in Florida would owe taxes for road games in other states.

 

So you are all OK with the NCAA exploiting the "student athletes"?  Coaches make millions, universities make millions, administrators make millions, everyone makes millions but the people actually playing the games.

 

A lot of the student athletes are concerned with other things besides getting cash in their pockets.  What about student athletes who are injured and can no longer play?  The universities do not have to maintain their scholarship, and they could cut them from the team.  Therefore the player is left with no way to pay for their education, and a life long disability.  Who takes care of those student athletes now?  They gave up their bodies so coaches could make millions, universities could make millions, administrators could make millions, yet they are not even afforded the dignity of completing their education or compensated with healthcare to cover their life long injuries.

 

Do some schools take care of students in those situations?  Some do, but many find ways to worm out of paying for those responsibilites.  Just look at our friend to the east of USF, the good ole UCF.  They had a player die in practice, and the coaches, UCF, and even the State of Florida wormed their way out of compensating his family for the death of the player.  The State of Florida is the worst, since they pass a convenient law that caps money paid out in lawsuits.  It would be nice if private citizens had that type of protection from lawsuits.

 

It is so funny how people get up in arms as soon as they see the word union, as if someone just said Al-Qaeda or Russia.  You know all those things that you enjoy such as:

• Actually attending primary and secondary school instead of working, i.e. no child labor
• 40 hour work week
• Paid vacations
• Employer provided health care
• Safe work conditions
• And a whole host of others

are from unions, you know, organized labor.

 

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them.  They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season.  They should have a say in the safety of their sport.  They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes.  They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

 

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

 

Oye Vay!

[Sellular1]

 

My understanding is that the IRS is being kind by not forcing any food or housing supplied to athletes to be considered income, as it isn't an educational expense. I think we are all aware of how long the IRS's kindness lasts, and unionizing/being deemed an employee would certainly be poking the hornet's nest. This move could come back to bite all college athletes if it stirs the IRS into enforcing housing and food athletes receive to be claimed as income.

 

 

The IRS should go after it.  Additionally, now they'll have to pay union dues.  This falls into that, "Be careful what you wish for..." category.

 

 

Housing and food are already suppose to be reported as income when filing your return.  Chances are the IRS would still not consider the tuition and books income even if scholarship athletes were designated employees but additional taxes (social security, medicare) would have to be paid on the compensation received.  The benefits would probably not be taxed because what professional athlete gets taxed for training at a team facility.  But athletes may owe state income tax in states they perform.  So players in Florida would owe taxes for road games in other states.

 

So you are all OK with the NCAA exploiting the "student athletes"?  Coaches make millions, universities make millions, administrators make millions, everyone makes millions but the people actually playing the games.

 

A lot of the student athletes are concerned with other things besides getting cash in their pockets.  What about student athletes who are injured and can no longer play?  The universities do not have to maintain their scholarship, and they could cut them from the team.  Therefore the player is left with no way to pay for their education, and a life long disability.  Who takes care of those student athletes now?  They gave up their bodies so coaches could make millions, universities could make millions, administrators could make millions, yet they are not even afforded the dignity of completing their education or compensated with healthcare to cover their life long injuries.

 

Do some schools take care of students in those situations?  Some do, but many find ways to worm out of paying for those responsibilites.  Just look at our friend to the east of USF, the good ole UCF.  They had a player die in practice, and the coaches, UCF, and even the State of Florida wormed their way out of compensating his family for the death of the player.  The State of Florida is the worst, since they pass a convenient law that caps money paid out in lawsuits.  It would be nice if private citizens had that type of protection from lawsuits.

 

It is so funny how people get up in arms as soon as they see the word union, as if someone just said Al-Qaeda or Russia.  You know all those things that you enjoy such as:

• Actually attending primary and secondary school instead of working, i.e. no child labor
• 40 hour work week
• Paid vacations
• Employer provided health care
• Safe work conditions
• And a whole host of others

are from unions, you know, organized labor.

 

If student athletes want to organize to strengthen their bargaining position, then more power to them.  They should have a say on if the NCAA wants to add more games to the season.  They should have a say in the safety of their sport.  They should have a say in the long term care of disabled athletes.  They should have the right to organize and strike to protest unfair conditions.

 

They are not slaves for your entertainment.

 

I was going to make a comment about your post, then I saw your avatar and almost pissed myself.  All makes sense now.

[charsibb]

And....

 

We're all moving to the Mad Cow in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

[Brad]

 

I don't think that housing is taxable to an employee as income if as part of their employment they are required to live on site in employer owned housing.

I really doubt the IRS would risk the ridicule by going after scholarship athletes. On the other hand, if they were paid cash then that could change.

Go Bulls!

 

As a former Revenue Agent (not fed) if the gov't thinks it is owed money it will go after it.  There is no playing nice when it comes to taxes owed.  NJ pretty quickly tried to identify money earned in the state by people performing in Atlantic City casinos as more money in the state's till.  Trust me, they hardly worry about looking ridiculous.  If the kids become employees the IRS and every state they play in will go after that income (and rightfully so).  Identifying what part is earned in a particular state becomes the issue.

 

 

They'll take whatever the lawyers and unions leave behind.

[BullsFanInTX]

pay them the market price and they will figure a way to pay taxes

 

to keep exploiting them isnt an option

$240,000 isn't fair market value? (The value of  60000 scholarship times 4 years)

[Reliable Source]

I say we pay them what MLB pays it's minor leaguers and they can pay their tuition out of that.

 

[Cody Decker's] after-tax signing bonus as a 22nd-round Draft pick in 2009 certainly did, though.

"Six hundred and thirty eight dollars," Decker said, slowly enunciating the terms of his bonus. "I was able to get a nice steak and that's about it." ...

Baseball remains a seasonal job, where players are paid in-season. The pay isn't always great, especially for younger players. While the Major League minimum salary in 2012 was $480,000, the figure for first-year players, regardless of their organization, runs about $1,110 a month during the season.

The players in CFB, with rare exception, aren't the draw. Do you think South Bend would be half empty if Tommy Rees had moved on? Plenty of more than willing replacements waiting for his slot. These players think that they are more valuable than they actually are.