wag pays per walk. taxes still nibble.
wag is more walk-focused than rover. the deductions are smaller but so are the gross numbers — and the percentage hit from se tax is the same.
free 2026 wag! tax calculator: self-employment tax, mileage deduction at 72.5¢/mile, federal & state brackets, and quarterly estimated payments for wag! pet care 1099 contractors.
your wag! math
the form arrives. or it doesn't. you still owe.
wag pays per walk or drop-in visit. rates are mostly fixed by walk length (20/30/60 min) plus tips. unlike rover, less of wag's volume is boarding — walks dominate, which means more time on the road.
wag walkers often visit 5–10 clients a day, racking up real mileage between homes. tracking each leg matters more than for boarding-focused sitters. the mileage deduction can be substantial — but only if you log it correctly.
5 deductions specific to wag!
your phone gps tracks them; use stride or hurdlr to log automatically. every mile counts.
the supplies you bring (clients should provide most, but you'll buy backups). all deduct.
weather-specific gear bought for the gig. regular street clothes — no.
wag's onboarding fees deduct the year you paid them.
you use it for navigation and client comm. business-use percentage of phone bill.
wag walker in seattle, 25 hrs/week of walks, $22k gross, 6,500 miles
wa no state tax + mileage deduction $4,712. take-home: ~$17k. ~22% effective rate. mileage is the lever here — log it.
wag!, specifically
wag took less from my pay than rover does — why?+
different commission structures. but your 1099 reports your net payout either way, so it doesn't change the tax math.
can i deduct dog-bite insurance?+
yes — if you carry liability insurance for your gig work, the premium deducts.
i had a client who tipped in cash. is that taxed?+
yes. all cash tips are reportable income — include them in your annual gross even if wag didn't see them.
what about pet first aid certification?+
continuing education related to your work is deductible. keep the receipt.
also drive, sell, host, or stream elsewhere? combine on one schedule c.
your wag! 1099 income gets added to every other gig you do for the year. one self-employment return covers all of it — and miles, fees, and home-office allocations may apply across platforms.