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income levels

October 17, 2016 05:58AM
Hi- I'm new and have only signed up with a couple of companies. I found that some of them ask for household income level and I don't feel comfortable sharing that on the application. Does anyone have suggestions on companies that don't require that info on their applications?
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October 17, 2016 08:55AM
They're not going to actually check. It's so that when a client asks for, say, lower-income householders or shoppers whose households make more than $100k/yr, they can quickly search their database and offer shops to that demographic first.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.
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October 17, 2016 11:38PM
Thank you for your reply-that's helpful to know, although I still would prefer to not be required to include that info on my application. Thanks!
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October 18, 2016 02:57AM
@zozo0508 wrote:

Thank you for your reply-that's helpful to know, although I still would prefer to not be required to include that info on my application. Thanks!

Are you willing to provide your SS# to mystery shopping companies? Most require it.

Did you know that for a small fee, the Social Security Administration will prepare a history of your employment, and how much you earned from each employer each year. Most employers will not go through the trouble of paying the fee at the Social Security Administration in order to see all your past employers or your past income, and I certainly can't imagine a mystery shopping company researching the past income of its independent contractors. But, by providing your SS#, you give them the ability to do that if they wanted to.
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October 18, 2016 04:16AM
It's not the SSN number I'm concerned about, since I understand the IRS issues involved. I was looking for MSCs that don't require household income info.
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October 18, 2016 05:08AM
Many of them have an, "I prefer not to answer," option at the bottom of the list.

I have never been concerned about stating household income because it is part of my demographics. My household income would make me eligible to purchase many 'upscale' things I would never waste my money on, but on the comfort level of things, I would rather do a shop at Coach than at a check cashing place. And as for someone paying Social Security for a transcript of my employment earnings, that is nonsense because Social Security likely would not be reporting out my monthly SS check, nor would they have information for capital gains, interest and dividends, all of which contribute substantially to our household income.
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October 18, 2016 01:05PM
Like Flash, I have income that SSA has no knowledge of, but which is properly reported to the IRS. Since I have been an independent contractor for 90+% of my adult life, all SSA has is IC fee income and wage/salary income.. Rents, intesest, dividends, retirement plan income do not go into any SSA files.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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October 18, 2016 01:33PM
I agree that the income level that you disclose to the MSC is for demographic purposes only. It is unverified and used as the same way by MSCs as age and gender. Some clients request either male or female shoppers, others request ages 40 and younger or 55 and older, and some request shoppers with a particular income level. Most of the income requests are not specific numbers, they are ranges. I don't remember ever seeing one that asked specifically how much money I make. If you are uncomfortable revealing an income range, either decline to answer or skip the MSCs that request that information.
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October 20, 2016 11:28AM
You can also put in an income amount that you are comfortable to share with the MSC. For example, if you made $100,000 per year, you can put income range of $40,000 to $50,000 or whatever amount that would be an average income. The IRS would not ding you if you put in that fictional amount since it is not your actual reported income when you file your income taxes.
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October 20, 2016 08:45PM
Thank you for your help and suggestions everyone! Appreciate it!
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October 20, 2016 08:46PM
@walesmaven wrote:

Like Flash, I have income that SSA has no knowledge of, but which is properly reported to the IRS. Since I have been an independent contractor for 90+% of my adult life, all SSA has is IC fee income and wage/salary income.. Rents, intesest, dividends, retirement plan income do not go into any SSA files.
Do you know if that will reduce the amount of your Social Security payments when you withdraw? I'm in a similar situation (passive income that is taxed but not reported to SSA).

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.
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October 20, 2016 08:59PM
Annually SSA sends you an estimate of what your retirement payment would be based on your age at retirement and offering a listing of your SSA reported wages for each year (at least I assume they still send that out--mine stopped when I began my SS claim). The report came out within a month or so of my birthday. Those years I had only self-employment there was very little income shown because so little of the income was subject to social security tax after appropriate expenses were deducted. To receive social security you need at least 40 quarters of social security reported employment.
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