Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Business and Non-Business.

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Subject Author Date Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Business and Non-Business. Jeff 03-01-2007  Re: Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Busin... Bill 03-03-2007  Re: Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Busin... Shyster1040 03-03-2007  Re: Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Busin... Paul Thomas, CPA 03-03-2007  Re: Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Busin... Fuzzy Faced Leader 03-03-2007  Re: Mileage Deductions When Driving for Both Busin... Jeff 03-04-2007
Posted by Jeff on March 1, 2007, 9:08 pm Please log in for more thread options I can't seem to find a straight answer at the IRS site (or anywhere else) on this one: I'm a consultant. Say I have a client that's a mile (for easy math) from my house. I'm going out to my client when my wife calls and asks me to run to the cleaners, which is 1 mile in another direction. So, during my drive, I travel 4 miles: 1 to the client, 2 from the client to cleaners, 1 from the cleaners to home. Now, do I deduct what the travel WOULD have been had I not made the side trip (2 miles to and from the client)? the whole trip since business was part of it? From home to client to cleaners? Thanks, Jeff << ======================================================= >> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >> << >> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >> << are at www.asktax.org. >> << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >> << ======================================================= >> Posted by Bill on March 3, 2007, 5:26 am Please log in for more thread options jscooper22@gmail.com (Jeff) posted: > I can't seem to find a straight answer at the > IRS site (or anywhere else) on this one: > I'm a consultant. Say I have a client that's a > mile (for easy math) from my house. I'm going > out to my client when my wife calls and asks > me to run to the cleaners, which is 1 mile in > another direction. So, during my drive, I travel > 4 miles: 1 to the client, 2 from the client to > cleaners, 1 from the cleaners to home. > Now, do I deduct what the travel WOULD > have been had I not made the side trip (2 > miles to and from the client)? the whole trip > since business was part of it? From home to > client to cleaners? First of all, unless your home is your primary business location (office in your home), your travel to your client's location from your home is considered _commuting_, and not expensable. (See Pub 17, page 171, Figure 26-B, for an illustration of this principle.) If your home is your sole place of business, then the travel to that site would be a legitimate expense IMO -- but, in any event, any extra mileage added for personal purposes would definitely _not_ be proper. Bill << ======================================================= >> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >> << >> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >> << are at www.asktax.org. >> << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >> << ======================================================= >> Posted by Shyster1040 on March 3, 2007, 5:26 am Please log in for more thread options You deduct what the mileage would have been (provided you can calculate it) without the personal detour. << ======================================================= >> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >> << >> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >> << are at www.asktax.org. >> << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >> << ======================================================= >> Posted by Paul Thomas, CPA on March 3, 2007, 5:26 am Please log in for more thread options > I can't seem to find a straight answer at the IRS site (or > anywhere else) on this one: > > I'm a consultant. Say I have a client that's a mile (for > easy math) from my house. I'm going out to my client when > my wife calls and asks me to run to the cleaners, which is 1 > mile in another direction. So, during my drive, I travel 4 > miles: 1 to the client, 2 from the client to cleaners, 1 > from the cleaners to home. > > Now, do I deduct what the travel WOULD have been had I not > made the side trip (2 miles to and from the client)? the > whole trip since business was part of it? From home to > client to cleaners? Don't think too hard. Your deduction is the two miles that are business related. The additional miles are personal in nature and not deductible. As far as I care, the same two miles would be business related if the cleaners are next door to the client and you walked over and picked up your laundry before or after meeting with the client. Now, a sly auditor would look for a pattern of meeting with that client on a regular basis (like when your shirts are ready). -- Paul Thomas, CPA paulthomascpapc@bellsouth.net << ======================================================= >> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >> << >> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >> << are at www.asktax.org. >> << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >> << ======================================================= >> Posted by Fuzzy Faced Leader on March 3, 2007, 5:26 am Please log in for more thread options > I can't seem to find a straight answer at the IRS site (or > anywhere else) on this one: > > I'm a consultant. Say I have a client that's a mile (for > easy math) from my house. I'm going out to my client when > my wife calls and asks me to run to the cleaners, which is 1 > mile in another direction. So, during my drive, I travel 4 > miles: 1 to the client, 2 from the client to cleaners, 1 > from the cleaners to home. > > Now, do I deduct what the travel WOULD have been had I not > made the side trip (2 miles to and from the client)? the > whole trip since business was part of it? From home to > client to cleaners? IF you maintain an office in your home, you would deduct 2 miles. If not, its commuting, and you deduct no miles. << ======================================================= >> << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >> << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >> << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >> << >> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >> << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >> << are at www.asktax.org. >> << Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >> << ======================================================= >> Similar Threads Posted Business Mileage March 31, 2008, 1:47 pm Will there be tax deductions for my LLC business? July 12, 2007, 7:34 pm Re: Will there be tax deductions for my LLC business? August 27, 2007, 2:12 am K-1 with driving expenses April 11, 2009, 9:57 am Help - rental real estate depreciation is driving me nuts! 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