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Posted by D. Stussy on February 20, 2008, 11:29 pm
Please log in for more thread options > > How does one keep track of mileage? The rules say something
> > about the date of travel, beginning and ending mileage.
>
> Along with purpose, yes. You should jot down why you made that trip,
> business charitable, medical, etc.
>
> > What if you forgot to write down the beginning and ending mileage?
>
> I don't see that lapse as a deduction killer. The reason for that
exercise
> is for the IRS to see if it appears feasable that you drove the number of
> miles you are claiming. If at some point you recorded begining or ending
> mileage from yoru odometer, then the number of busines and non-business
> miles should not exceed the total munber of miles that accumulated on the
> odomoter for the year.
>
> In oter words, it's an audit measure to see if you're telling the truth.
>
> > Say your medical records show that you went to the hospital on day D1,
> > D2, D3, etc for some reason, like visiting a doctor, going for chemo-
> > therapy. Then can just just write the date, and number of miles which
> > you can get from yahoo maps (start location = home, end location =
> > hospital, multiply by 2).
> >
> > What about fees you pay to park in the parking garage? Do you need
> > receipts if it is $3 everytime?
> >
> > The questions applies to all miles -- which as far as I know are
> > medical, moving, charitable, business.
>
> Google /Mapquest, etc type maps are good supporting documents, but may
often
> times not run the route you traveled, and therefore not report the correct
> number of miles, but if used to support a few trips, should suffice. It's
> probable that those types of programs are what the IRS would turn to to
> check your numbers, and if the "quickTrip" program says it's 18 miles and
> you deducted 20, they'll let it pass. But if you claimed 80 miles, you've
> "got some splain'in to do", as Ricky says.
In my opinion, repeated visits to the same location (same doctor, dentist,
whomever) don't need additional odometer readings as the mileage isn't going
to change unless the doctor moves. Out-of-pocket costs do need to be
recorded every time.
--
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