Whether you’re officiating youth soccer on weekends or working high school basketball games during the winter season, the short answer is yes—referees do pay taxes. Most non-professional sports officials in the U.S. and Canada are classified as independent contractors, which means they are responsible for tracking and reporting their own income.

But navigating the tax side of officiating can be overwhelming. Between collecting forms, recording payments, and preparing year-end reports, it’s easy for the paperwork to pile up—especially if you're working with multiple assignors or leagues.

That’s where Refr Sports steps in. Beyond scheduling and assignments, Refr provides tools that make the tax side of officiating far more manageable—for both referees and assignors.

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Referees as Independent Contractors

Most amateur and semi-pro referees are not classified as employees. Instead, they operate as independent contractors—which comes with some key tax implications:

• You are responsible for reporting your income to the IRS or CRA
• You may receive a 1099 (U.S.) if you earn over a certain amount from an assignor or league
• You're expected to track and declare all officiating income, even if no tax forms are issued

This setup offers flexibility but also means referees need to maintain accurate records of what they’ve earned, who paid them, and when.

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What That Means at Tax Time

When filing taxes, officials must report their income using IRS Form Schedule C (U.S.) or the appropriate self-employment income forms in Canada. You may also need to:

• Save copies of W-9 forms you’ve submitted
• Retain invoices or payment summaries
• Track mileage, gear purchases, or other deductible expenses

If you’ve worked with multiple leagues or assignors over the course of a year, that can become a serious headache—unless you’re using a system like Refr to keep everything organized from day one.

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How Refr Helps Officials Manage Tax Season

Refr Sports isn’t just for scheduling—it provides a centralized record of assignments and payments, helping referees prepare for tax season with fewer surprises.

With Refr, officials can:

• Track every game they’ve worked, with dates and pay clearly logged
• View and download payment summaries at any point during the season
• Ensure all work is documented in one place—no need to rebuild a spreadsheet from scratch

This kind of visibility can save hours of prep time and eliminate guesswork when filing. Instead of chasing down last-minute numbers or forgetting who paid what, you get a clean record ready when you need it.

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Assignors Benefit Too

Refr also simplifies tax season for assignors. Instead of fielding endless questions from officials about payment history or missing documentation, assignors using Refr can:

• Collect W-9s from referees directly in the platform
• Export clean reports to assist with 1099 prep
• Provide referees with access to their own pay logs—reducing the admin load at year’s end

That shared visibility makes it easier for assignors to stay compliant and organized while giving officials the transparency they expect.

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Final Thoughts

Yes, referees are responsible for paying taxes—but that doesn’t mean the process needs to be complicated. Whether you're working 10 games or 200, tracking your income is part of the job—and Refr Sports helps make it simple.

From scheduling and assigning to payment logging and tax prep support, Refr gives both referees and assignors the tools to stay organized and efficient throughout the year.

Because spending less time on paperwork means spending more time focused on the field.