Chicago Hosts: How are you handling taxes across Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and direct bookings?
I manage short-term rental listings in Chicago and am trying to make sure I'm handling taxes correctly across all channels.
Airbnb currently collects and remits the following taxes on my behalf:
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Hotel Accommodations Tax (Chicago)
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Hotel Accommodations Tax (Cook County)
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Illinois Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax
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MPEA Hotel Tax
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Shared Housing/Vacation Rental Surcharge
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Illinois Sports Facilities Tax
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Chicago Municipal Hotel Tax
However, for Booking.com reservations, I receive the tax amounts and am responsible for remitting them myself. Guests are currently charged:
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TAX: 14.5%
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City tax: 4.5%
I'm also researching the exact tax setup needed for direct bookings and want to make sure I'm not missing anything.
For those with Chicago STRs:
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Which taxes are you remitting yourself for Booking.com reservations?
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How are you handling taxes for direct bookings?
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Which taxes, surcharges, registrations, or filing requirements should I be taking into account - Illinois, Cook County, and Chicag.
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Has anyone had their setup reviewed by a CPA or received guidance directly from IDOR or the City of Chicago?
I'd really appreciate hearing how other Chicago hosts are handling this. I'm trying to build an accurate tax map and make sure I'm fully compliant without overpaying or missing anything.