Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

Quote from whocares13 : I have a concern and hopefully someone could answer it. Last year, around Dec 25 I won a $1000 gift card. I submitted affidavit and received an email on Jan 2, 2013 telling me that they have received my documents and I am a confirmed winner. Now, I have neither received prize nor 1099 form by now. I don't know when to file tax for this prize. What should I do?

The tax year that you'll file is the year you receive your prize. Since you haven't received it yet, it will not be for the year 2012. Congrats!

Quote from a3005 : Hi, newbie here. I would like to know which is the best place to look for blog giveaways. Are they listed heron SD? I see a lot of ppl speaking about small blog giveaways and higher chances of winning, unable to figure out where.

I enter some blog giveaways you can follow me on Twitter if you like ..a lot of my tweets are links to current blog contests (you get additional entries for tweeting them) @happyenchilada2

Quote from whocares13 : I have a concern and hopefully someone could answer it. Last year, around Dec 25 I won a $1000 gift card. I submitted affidavit and received an email on Jan 2, 2013 telling me that they have received my documents and I am a confirmed winner. Now, I have neither received prize nor 1099 form by now. I don't know when to file tax for this prize. What should I do?

Sometimes it just takes a while to get your prize. I JUST got a prize a couple of days ago that I won in October. Don't worry about the 1099 until you actually receive it.

Quote from whocares13 : I have a concern and hopefully someone could answer it. Last year, around Dec 25 I won a $1000 gift card. I submitted affidavit and received an email on Jan 2, 2013 telling me that they have received my documents and I am a confirmed winner. Now, I have neither received prize nor 1099 form by now. I don't know when to file tax for this prize. What should I do?

I do not file a prize on my taxes until I have received it!

Quote from Sweepaholic : I do not file a prize on my taxes until I have received it!

Quote from caitybates : Sometimes it just takes a while to get your prize. I JUST got a prize a couple of days ago that I won in October. Don't worry about the 1099 until you actually receive it.

Quote from melan26 : The tax year that you'll file is the year you receive your prize. Since you haven't received it yet, it will not be for the year 2012. Congrats!

So I don't have to file tax this year even if I receive my prize within next few weeks. Right? Is there any chance they have informed IRS? How do I know if they have or haven't informed IRS?

The trip I won, I take in April 2013. Today I received a 1099 form from eprize. Can I demand a corrected 1099 form from them? Since I should get a 1099 form next year

Quote from whocares13 : So I don't have to file tax this year even if I receive my prize within next few weeks. Right? Is there any chance they have informed IRS? How do I know if they have or haven't informed IRS?

Correct as it is income for the year 2013 and not income for the year 2012. I would assume that since you haven't received a 1099, then it means that they haven't informed the IRS, but I could be wrong.

Quote from princess101 : The trip I won, I take in April 2013. Today I received a 1099 form from eprize. Can I demand a corrected 1099 form from them? Since I should get a 1099 form next year

You should for sure send them an e-mail. I say this because, what if, for some reason you happen to not take that trip. That's taxes paid on something that you haven't received. They're usually really responsive about things like this.

Quote from princess101 : The trip I won, I take in April 2013. Today I received a 1099 form from eprize. Can I demand a corrected 1099 form from them? Since I should get a 1099 form next year

Quote from caitybates : Correct as it is income for the year 2013 and not income for the year 2012. I would assume that since you haven't received a 1099, then it means that they haven't informed the IRS, but I could be wrong. You should for sure send them an e-mail. I say this because, what if, for some reason you happen to not take that trip. That's taxes paid on something that you haven't received. They're usually really responsive about things like this.

Hmmm... this is interesting. I find it quite odd that they would issue a 1099 even though the prize has not been fulfilled, unless they consider it fulfilled when arrangements, i.e. flights booked, hotel, car rental, etc. have been made prior to this year. I would also think that everything from the prize package you received prior to this year? I think that you should ask how much the flights, hotels, etc. really cost them. Make sure you ask for receipts for everything. You only have to pay taxes on the ARV, not the one listed on the rules.

This absolutely conflicts with the above answers we've given earlier to whocares13.

I haven't received anything from my prize package. Only 2 emails from travel agent telling me dates of travel, hotel name and asking me my nearest airport and then which flight I prefer. I hate eprize

Quote from princess101 : I haven't received anything from my prize package. Only 2 emails from travel agent telling me dates of travel, hotel name and asking me my nearest airport and then which flight I prefer. I hate eprize

Definitely contact them about this. Explain to them if they'll issue you a corrected 1099 after your trip (what if it cost less than the 1099 you have now, what then?). It's going to be messy if you're filing your tax now when nothing is really clear at the moment. Good luck.

I should have gotten 1099 in 2014 not 2013. I have a funny feeling that I am gonna have trouble with eprize and probably the IRS. Eprize usually gives you the run around

Quote from princess101 : I should have gotten 1099 in 2014 not 2013. I have a funny feeling that I am gonna have trouble with eprize and probably the IRS. Eprize usually gives you the run around

Just make sure you've got everything documented and saved elsewhere just in case. IRS would be a pain, if anything. I suggest you consult with a tax professional and seek their advice on this matter. Press your issue on Eprize and ask to speak to someone higher up, you don't want to get audited, that's for sure.

I'm having a couple of FB instant wins error out on me today. The new Tony's bowling one, and the Visa Prepaid one. Anyone else? I'm using Chrome.

Quote from suncat77 : I'm having a couple of FB instant wins error out on me today. The new Tony's bowling one, and the Visa Prepaid one. Anyone else? I'm using Chrome.

I had the same problem with both of them with Firefox.