tax home question

Do you actually have to work when you go home for a few weeks?

Since it's a question of "Do I have to work"? I would like to add...."For how many days"?

I am rapidly coming up on the end of my first year as a travel nurse. I have heard contradicting explainations.
I have been told you only can work 2/3 of the year and also 364 days.
Anyone know for sure?

Thanks,
Clint

how often and how long do you have to be at your tax home for it to considered a legal tax home?

There is no hard and fast rule that says you have to work when at home. To have a tax home, you need to have significant ties ot the community and be duplicating expenses to have your home there. You do also need to have spent time there during the year, but apparently there is not hard fast rule on how much time.

I have been pondering this myself, so I asked a travel tax specialist for some advice.

Apparently, according to him, if I return to my home only for short "Vacation" visits that may not look good if I am audited. However, there is no hard and fast rule as to how many days one must be at home or such, so apparently it is decided on a case by case basis. (Nice right? I wish it were clearer.)

As far as working at home, this one is simple, you can sign up per diem or registry and do a few days here and there.

I am actually thinking about doing a local contract for three months, I miss my home and friends as it is, and love living in my house, if the pay were appropriate, then it would be perfect.

I think you are thinking of being in one place. If you are going to get tax free benefits for housing meals and entertainment etc, you can not "travel" to a place for over a year, if you stay on assignment at one place for over a year that becomes your new tax home and all tax free bennies recieved become taxed.