---
title: "Tip-outs and tip pools"
url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/tip-outs
language: en
publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated)
date_published: 2026-09-23
---

# Tip-outs and tip pools

## The basics

- [What’s a tip-out, and how is it different from a tip pool?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/what-is-a-tip-out)
- [Can my employer make me tip out or join a tip pool?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/can-my-employer-require-a-tip-pool)
- [Is there a limit on how much of my tips I have to tip out?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/is-there-a-limit-on-tip-outs)
- [My tip-out is a percentage of my sales, not my tips. How does that work?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/tip-out-based-on-sales)

## Who can be in the pool

- [Can my manager or the owner take money from the tip pool?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/can-managers-take-from-tip-pool)
- [Can cooks and dishwashers be in the tip pool?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/can-cooks-and-dishwashers-be-in-tip-pool)
- [What can I do if my employer keeps part of our tips?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/employer-keeping-tips)
- [Can my employer take the credit card fee out of my tips?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/credit-card-fees-taken-from-tips)

## Taxes and records

- [Do I pay tax on the tips I tip out?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/do-i-pay-tax-on-tips-i-tip-out)
- [I get tip-outs from servers. Do I have to report them?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/reporting-tip-outs-you-receive)
- [How do I keep a record of my tip-outs for taxes?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/how-to-record-tip-outs)
- [I’m a cook in the tip pool. Can I take the federal tip deduction on that money?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/back-of-house-tip-pool-and-tip-deduction)

## By job

- [I’m a server. After tip-outs, how much is mine, and which number do I report?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/server-tip-out-math)
- [I’m a bartender. How do tip share from servers and my tip-out to barbacks work?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/bartender-tip-share-and-barback-tip-out)
- [I’m a busser or host living on tip-outs. What counts, and what do I report?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/busser-and-host-tip-outs)
- [How does splitting the café tip jar by hours work, and who can be in it?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/barista-tip-jar-split)

## How TipMax helps with this

Every tip-out changes the number that’s yours, so it has to be written down each shift.

TipMax is an iPhone app for servers and bartenders that tracks tips and tip-outs and turns a restaurant menu into study flashcards.

- Record tip-outs every shift, with tip-out rules for each job.
- Log cash and card tips per shift in seconds.
- Download all your data as a CSV any time.

Download TipMax free: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tipmax-study-track-earn/id6744850146

---

TipMax Answers explains public IRS and U.S. Department of Labor guidance in plain English for tipped workers. It is **not tax, legal, or accounting advice**. Federal rules are a floor; your state may add its own tip rules. Confirm with IRS.gov, DOL.gov, your state labor agency, or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and tip-outs; it does not file your taxes or decide tip-pool disputes.