So I like to go to the casino once in a while to play 20nl 40nl 100nl poker. I just like to go to have a good time now, nothing serious. I also do not go as much as I would like since I dont have a lot of money, I am back in college, so also very little time. Spring break is coming up for us, and I wanted to hit the casino.

So my problem is I receive SSI for a disability. If I was to win a jackpot of 2k for example, I have to report it to them, and that gets deducted from my regular payment, and it is a hassle to get it back to normal. I also risk getting my SSI taken away since I would have money in my account. And to get it back I hear is not easy, and takes a while.

So I figured, I just want to go to have a good time, break even, win a few dollars, or lose. But if the jackpot hits, or there is some kind of promotion where I win money, is it ok if I refuse it?

Google told me they hold jackpots, or money, until you claim it. I figured once I start working again and get off SSI, claim it then?

Thanks.

You never have to accept any money from a casino if you don't want to. Whether they will hold it for you until you decide you're ready or not, I wouldn't bet on it.

If you claim it when do you have to report it? Can you deduct losses?

If they give you a W2-G than you won't have to report it to them until the end of the tax year.

But you can always refuse it. I for one would take it and just spend it on a bankroll, or keep it at the casino in a lockbox and write it off if you lose it.

Are you sure?

That’s not true. W2-G is a tax form and SSI has nothing to do with that. SSI is, as the name says, supplemental income for people who are disabled or old and meet specific income guidelines.

There are probably ways to have the casino pay someone else, but that would be social security fraud. I am not sure if having them withhold the money until you don’t receive SSI anymore would be legal either.

Don't use a players card and walk out if it hits (don't worry, it won't).

I worry because I hit a jack pot once, had the winning hand and I got like 3k. I was on a table that hit a jack pot and got a few hundred from the table share. I won a bunch of different little promotions, like Aces cracked, the random table selection where they give players money. I just dont want to claim anything because I am afraid of SSI holding my money or canceling it.


But I guess if I do win something ill talk to the floor man or something. Thanks for the advice, replies.

If I were you I'd be asking SSI what would to do if you win money, not here or the floor of whatever room you play in. Like Suit said, they aren't going to force you to take the money if that's what you end up feeling is in your best interest.

Their answer to that question is pretty obvious and arguably also the morally correct thing to do.

You’re supposed to take the money and report it so they can deduct it and save the tax payer from paying you that money. You might even be required to do that by law, but that’s a question for an attorney specializing in social security law. I read people got in trouble for refusing to accept an inheritance for the same reason (and sharing that information with the public) but I have no idea if that story is true.

The general problem here is that the social security system is highly inefficient, badly managed and unnecessary complicated. You should be able to just report extra money, they deduct it from your next couple payments and after that everything goes back to normal. But unfortunately it’s not like that at all, as described by OP.

.

In one of the rooms I work for, which is a jackpot room, you have up until a year to "pick up the money". I'm pretty sure though that you have to claim it at the time that it hits though.

You could offer someone a percentage of the money to claim it for you. I don't know if the poker room will blatantly allow this, but most big tournaments that I've dealt, many deals have been made where someone from a country with better tax laws takes a bigger cut so the others don't have to claim as many taxes. In return, that player gets some extra money. This has been negotiated in front of many floors, so take that as you will.

OP is not asking how to commit fraud, jfc. There’s an open question about whether he is legally obligated to accept income offered while on SSI, and one about whether he can time his claim, but he is not asking how to avoid claiming received income.

You're absolutely under no obligation to accept any promotional money from the casino. In my home casino they recently started requiring players to fill out a 1099 to accept promo money. I've played the for years and this is the first time they've done that. I told the floor I really didn't want to sign any tax documents without consulting a tax professional first, and they said I could decline the payout if I didn't want to sign the 1099.

You'll probably have staff suspicious of you if you decline a payout, especially a large one, but if you're not wanted by the authorities or anything like that then you don't have to worry about it.

This situation occurred at my home casino where an underage player won a promo and declined it because of him being in the casino illegally. Somehow the staff found his age anyways, and they immediately implemented a rule where you're required to be logged in with a players card in order to play in the poker room

Whatever they hold is going to be less than you walk away with.

If you really don't want it, just tell the first employee you see that you don't want it. When they bring the tax form for you to sign, don't sign it.

I just want to know if I can decline it in California. I dont want to lose my SSI over a 2k jackpot incase it did hit or some stupid promotion. If it was a large amount I would take it.

I had a little part time job, and it was a headache dealing with SSI. They cut my money, I had to take pay stubs and mail it to them many times for the same months. When I stopped working I was still getting deducted.

They did tell me they were backed up a lot, understaffed, so it takes like 2 months for changes to adjust. It's probably best to avoid the casino until I'm off SSI.

Why not just ask someone in authority at the Casino?

I doubt anyone at the casino knows if SSI requires for him to accept money? I would consult an attorney who specializes in social security law.

you also have the option of playing for someone else. than if you did hit it you can file a 5754 form as being a player/ worker for him and he is the recipient of the money not you.

Thread got scattered all over the place in a hurry ...

It's seems a pretty easy question for both your casino and SSI (start with Google and the Fed's online sites for SSI). Make an appointment with your local SSA branch and talk to someone. They are getting much better with passing on the correct information for each person's case.

The easiest 'insurance' is to not have a Player's Card unless forced to as some have suggested and just refuse to let them make one, which will probably void your share of the promo.

I find it very hard to believe that SSI would 'immediately' find out about any 'windfall'. Typically you have to reapply every year and you would be obligated to report what they ask for ... or they will just take a look at your tax return. You may be required by law to report any 'changes' as was suggested above. There was a case in MI where an individual on SSI and food stamps won a state lottery and didn't report it for almost a year. Had to pay it back and went to jail for fraud.

Typically you have to acquire $600 or more in 'total' promo funds (HH, BBJ) in order for a 1099G to be issued. So if you win three $200 HH, then a 1099G will be issued the following January (and reported to the Feds) in the $600 amount. These are equated to church raffles and such ... or those nice cars that you win at the end of each month at the casino. (Promotions)

A W2G is typically for tournament winnings ($5000 over the buy in) and most jackpots ($1500 or more?) and are considered 'gambling winnings'. You may want to consider playing smaller tournaments where you will 'never' win more than $5000 above the buy in. None of those winnings are every 'reported' by the casino ... but you are supposed to report them by IRS code.

Lots of folks mix them up and/or think they are the same .. not so.

SSI and Medicaid are both tricky and have similar, but different of course, rules for what's considered income and the limits and also have age rules.

As some have suggested, you really should 'want' to report this income, but it's also very much understood that you want to protect your rights to these funds as you did pass the requirements to receive them in the first place. GL

US Federal Tax law under the rule of constructive receipt defines the income earned on the day it is available to you, as a cash-basis taxpayer.

Example 1: You play on a game show and win $X in year 1. The show does not send you a check until the show airs in year 2. That is a year 1 expense for them, but year 2 income for you since you had no access to the $$$ until year 2.

Example 2. You hit a jackpot in a casino in year 1. You turn down the cash then, but return in year 2 to claim it. That is year 1 income to you since you could have taken possession the day the jackpot hit.

So he's sort of asking how to deceive the taxman.

I believe that this is not true.

You are incorrect.

https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/t...ash-basis.html

find a game without a jackpot drop