RV advice

[cryptic12]

Hello. I am a traveling hemodialysis nurse. I am considering purchasing a RV for travel. Have no clue what I need. I've done some research and know I want a tow trailer. I'm looking for advice on what the best type of tow vehicle is and any recommendations for brands of travel trailers. Also, can a RV be considered a tax home or written off in any way come tax time. Any advice you can share will be appreciated as I don't even know enough about owning a RV to know what questions to ask. Yes, I have stayed extended periods of time in a friends RV, so I know that I like the whole concept and lifestyle.

Thanks for any feedback.

[toekneejo, ADN]

Actually, I want to chime in here, because yes although an RV cannot be considered a deduction on taxes as a home. You can use it as a deduction. My husband and I live in an RV approx. 6 months a year for his job. The company he works for pays a perdiem for living away from home. However it is only $102.00/day. We have the opportunity to either accept the perdiem as untaxed income and pay our living expneses out of it OR we can keep records on everything that is incurred due to being away from home and include the perdiem as taxable income and deduct ALL expenses. We have found in our situation it is worth keeping the records and claiming the expsenses. As far as type of RV. We have went with fifth wheels easier to manipulate on the road, nice floor plans and adequate storage spaces. You will need a 1 ton pickup to haul it. I hope this helps.

[NedRN]

The RV doesn't actually make a difference in your situation as to your eligibility to deduct expenses incurred while working away from your tax home. It is the ability for an RV to create a tax home status by itself that can't be done.

I would suggest crunching the numbers again. It is the rare taxpayer that make out better with all your reimbursements as taxable and then deducting them with form 2106 on your return. You have two thresholds to meet: one having enough deductions to itemize without those travel related expense, the other being the quantity of specific business expenses. All amounts under those thresholds are wasted. If your actual receipted expenses exceed the tax free reimbursements you can deduct the difference. But that is the rare taxpayer as well.

There are also rare people who willingly pay higher taxable amounts to qualify for higher loans or unemployment benefits. That is really a different conversation but it is kind of nutty to pay more taxes for that!