Bookkeeping guide
Event planner tax bookkeeping: categories to review
Weddings, parties, decor and rentals. If you got a 1099 for this work, here are common categories and review questions; your facts and records determine what qualifies.
Worth knowing
These are common expenses people in this line of work may need to review. Anything marked in orange is an edge case worth raising with a preparer rather than assuming.
Client-paid decor & vendor costs
When a client pays you for florals, decor, rentals, or vendor costs you cover, the full amount is generally gross receipts and what you paid is a business cost; record both instead of netting them. If a payment platform keeps its fee, record the gross payment as income and the actual fee from the statement as an expense. The client-events category maps to cost of goods sold (Part III), and PrivateBooks' COGS math assumes nothing was on hand at the start or end of the year; if you hold unused client materials at year-end, have a preparer work out Part III. A mainly-service business may report these as supplies instead, and an agent or pass-through setup can differ; ask your preparer.
don't net income & costs
Deposits & retainers
If you use the cash method, a retainer or deposit you keep and apply to the client's bill is generally income in the year you receive it, even when the event is next year. Record it when it arrives, and record any refund when you pay it back; a refund of an amount you reported in an earlier year can usually be deducted in the year you repay it. A deposit you must return, such as a refundable damage deposit on rented decor, can be treated differently; track it separately and ask your preparer how to record it.
when received cash method
Vendors & day-of helpers
If you pay a day-of coordinator, setup crew, or other vendor for services, get a Form W-9 with their taxpayer ID, ideally before paying. For 2025, you generally file Form 1099-NEC for each non-employee you paid at least $600 for services, including parts and materials; for payments made in 2026 the threshold rises to $2,000. Some payments, such as to many corporations or by card or payment app, may be excluded; see the Form 1099-NEC instructions. Contractor or employee status depends on the facts: a contractor is generally someone you direct only as to the result, not how the work is done. Employees are paid through payroll as wages. Confirm each worker's status with your preparer.
W-9 first before paying
Rented vs. owned decor & equipment
Tables, linens, tents, and other equipment you rent for an event may generally be a Schedule C rent expense. Decor and equipment you buy and reuse across many events, like arches, backdrops, lighting, or linens you rent out, are generally business property, not cost of goods sold. Items you normally use up within a year may generally be supplies. Items useful substantially beyond a year are generally depreciated on Form 4562, unless Section 179, bonus depreciation, or the de minimis safe-harbor election applies; count only the business-use share and decide with your preparer.
Form 4562 big purchases
Destination travel & meals
Overnight travel away from your tax home for a client's event, such as airfare, lodging, baggage fees, and local rides, may generally be a Schedule C travel expense. Meals while traveling, and qualifying business meals with clients or vendors, are generally subject to the 50% limit. If a client reimburses meal costs and you give that client adequate records, the limit may apply to the client instead; food you buy for a client's event and bill to them may also be treated differently. Lodging and meals on added vacation days are personal, and trips outside the United States have extra allocation rules. Keep itineraries and receipts, and confirm with your preparer.
50% limit most business meals
Mileage to venues & vendors
Driving between venues, vendor appointments, supply pickups, and client meetings may be business mileage. Travel from home can be commuting, depending on whether your home is your principal place of business and where you regularly work. Keep a timely log of date, destination, purpose, and mileage. With the standard rate, don't also book gas, repairs, insurance, or registration; business parking and tolls may still count separately.
$0.70 / mile 2025 rate
Common categories PrivateBooks suggests
Pick Event planner during guided setup and PrivateBooks shows these categories mapped to Schedule C lines for review — no chart of accounts to invent. The mapping does not establish eligibility, business-use share, or substantiation:
| Category | Schedule C line |
|---|---|
| Florals, favors & one-time decor for client events | Line 38 — Materials and supplies |
| Table, linen & tent rentals | Line 20a — Rent/lease (vehicles, equipment) |
| Day-of helpers & subcontracted services | Line 11 — Contract labor |
| Emergency-kit supplies & small props | Line 22 — Supplies |
| Storage unit for decor & rental stock | Line 20b — Rent/lease (other property) |
| Wedding listings, bridal shows & ads | Line 8 — Advertising |
| Planning software (HoneyBook, Aisle Planner) | Line 27b — Other (software & subscriptions) |
| Payment processing & bank fees | Line 27b — Other (bank & merchant fees) |
| Travel to destination events | Line 24a — Travel |
| Business meals with clients & vendors | Line 24b — Deductible meals |
| Car costs or mileage to venues | Line 9 — Car and truck expenses |
| Venue parking & tolls | Line 9 — Car and truck expenses (business parking and tolls) |
| Liability & event insurance | Line 15 — Insurance (other than health) |
Merchants it recognises automatically
On top of the 584 built-in sorting rules, this pack adds rules for Aisle Planner, Cubesmart, Dubsado, Event Rental, Honeybook, Knot Worldwide, Oriental Trading, Party Rental, Public Storage, Theknot, Weddingwire. A matching description gets a suggested bookkeeping category; anything uncertain goes to Review instead of being guessed at. Spot-check every suggestion: a merchant match is not proof of business use, eligibility, allocation, or substantiation.
Do you even have to file?
Net earnings from self-employment of $400 or more generally require Schedule SE, but other filing rules can apply below $400. Whether you received a 1099, also have W-2 wages, had withholding, or need estimated payments depends on the full return. Review the official Schedule SE instructions or ask a qualified preparer instead of treating this bookkeeping guide as a filing decision.
See an optional cash-reserve illustration →
Educational pointers, not tax advice. Tax rules change and your situation is specific — worth asking about at tax time. The free IRS-sponsored VITA program helps people under its income threshold at no cost.