Set up your books to record commissions at gross, then track the brokerage split separately. You want both numbers visible because the 1099 you get from your brokerage will report gross commission income, even though you never actually received that full amount. If your books only show the net deposit, the numbers won’t match what was reported to the IRS.

Create an income account called Gross Commission Income in your accounting software. Every closing hits that account at the full commission amount. Then record the brokerage split as a separate expense line or contra-income account. What’s left after the split is your net commission, which is the money that actually ended up in your account and your true revenue for the transaction.

For each commission, track the closing date, property address, gross commission amount, your split percentage, the amount paid to the brokerage, and your net take. Note the transaction type too, whether it was a buyer side deal, listing side, or referral. This detail matters when the 1099 from your brokerage arrives and needs to reconcile to what you recorded. It also lets you see which types of deals are actually driving your income, which is useful information most agents never bother to pull together.

Most real estate agents are independent contractors, which means no taxes are withheld when commissions hit your account. You owe federal income tax, California income tax, and self-employment tax of 15.3 percent covering Social Security and Medicare. Skip quarterly estimated taxes and you’ll owe penalties on top of a large tax bill in April.

Quarterly estimated tax payments are due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. You can calculate them based on projected annual income or use a safe harbor based on last year’s tax liability. Because commission timing is unpredictable, most agents use a set-aside approach, moving 25 to 30 percent of every commission check into a separate tax savings account the moment it lands. That way the money earmarked for taxes never feels like spendable income. The bookkeeping setup for agents we recommend treats the tax savings transfer as part of the commission workflow, not an afterthought.

Don’t overlook the deductions. Real estate agents have substantial business expenses that reduce taxable income. MLS and board fees, lockboxes, signage, closing gifts, marketing and advertising, mileage for showings and client meetings, cell phone usage, continuing education, E&O insurance, and brokerage desk fees all qualify. Track these throughout the year in the right categories so you aren’t rebuilding a year of records in March.

A clean separation between business and personal accounts is the simplest way to keep the picture accurate. Run all commissions into a business checking account, pay business expenses from that account or a dedicated business credit card, and transfer owner draws over to personal. Agents who work with Pasadena bookkeepers who understand commission-based income end up with cleaner books, smaller tax surprises, and clear numbers to work with when deciding whether a slow month is actually slow or just normal variation in an irregular business.