Tax Season!

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Hey everyone! I've been traveling since July and wanted to ask some veteran travelers what to do come tax season. I plan on filing in my state of legal residence (PA), but what about those incentives I've heard about? Anyone have tips on what to claim when it comes time to file?? Thanks!

yes the mileage/car expense deduction is fairly straight forward

IRS pub 463 Travel, Entertainment, gift and car expenses

clearly states you can deduct standard mileage when away from tax home and even cites a construction worker for an example.

But as ADMIN TraumaRUs stated consulting your tax specialist is a good idea.

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I'm not having trouble with anything. You mistakenly said that a person can deduct "commute" miles from where they are staying to the job site and then back again to where they are staying. This simply is not true. One can only deduct the mileage to their travel position from their home town, and the mileage back to their home town. Once they are in the travel position, they can NOT deduct the mileage for their "daily commute" to and from work. And, your example of somebody going to a convention and taking a taxi and then owing taxes on the ride because their company picked up the tab has absolutely NOTHING to do with taking a deduction for commute mileage. If your company picked up the tab, they picked up the tab. You gave some bad advice and I disagreed with you... and it's not my opinion. It's the IRS guideline... maybe you should read up on it and then you will know the facts. You can NOT take a mileage deduction for a daily "commute" to and from work. A traveling RN can only deduct the miles that they drive from their hometown to the city where they are working, and then the miles back to their home town once their 13 week contract is finished.

Google it :)

Really, I cite the leading tax authority and you counter with Google? Here is another source for you: IRS Publications 463 and 535. I have read both in full.

You clearly do not understand business expenses, or reimbursements. My example is completely analogous. If a company can reimburse you an expense such as a local trip like a taxi tax-free legally, alternatively if they do not reimburse your legitimate expense then you can deduct it. One and the same principle. The word I used commute is technically inaccurate from an IRS perspective as commutes are only done from home so that may explain part of your confusion. However in plain english, I think you can understand that that remote mileage getting to work is a business expense and would be called a commute in layman's terms as a repeating daily trip. So would a daily taxi trip to and from the hospital be deductible, or a parking garage, et cetera.

I have no idea where you are getting your information from but try a CPA. What I stated is on the conservative side, many CPAs believe all miles driven while working away from home are deductible with some justification, not just getting to work. Personally I think that is too aggressive, driving to a movie for example incurs an identical cost to staying at home and has no business purpose. In effect, that is what happens when most rent a car though on a travel assignment, all related costs are deducted rather than separating business and personal use.

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Specializes in Neurovascular Surgery.
Really, I cite the leading tax authority and you counter with Google? Here is another source for you: IRS Publications 463 and 535. I have read both in full.

You clearly do not understand business expenses, or reimbursements. My example is completely analogous. If a company can reimburse you an expense such as a local trip like a taxi tax-free legally, alternatively if they do not reimburse your legitimate expense then you can deduct it. One and the same principle. The word I used commute is technically inaccurate from an IRS perspective as commutes are only done from home so that may explain part of your confusion. However in plain english, I think you can understand that that remote mileage getting to work is a business expense and would be called a commute in layman's terms as a repeating daily trip. So would a daily taxi trip to and from the hospital be deductible, or a parking garage, et cetera.

I have no idea where you are getting your information from but try a CPA. What I stated is on the conservative side, many CPAs believe all miles driven while working away from home are deductible with some justification, not just getting to work. Personally I think that is too aggressive, driving to a movie for example incurs an identical cost to staying at home and has no business purpose. In effect, that is what happens when most rent a car though on a travel assignment, all related costs are deducted rather than separating business and personal use.

We are discussing the standard mileage deduction... not business expenses such as a taxi or parking garage. You keep throwing all of this into the mix and it has nothing to do with the mileage of your daily commute to and from the hospital as a travel nurse on a 13 week assignment. It's not the same as a business trip. You used the term "home" as if a commute from a motel or apartment when somebody is on a 13 week travel assignment isn't their temporary home. Been to several traveling nurse conventions and the classes that go with that about what you can and can't claim. I was told that you can only claim the mileage that it takes for you to get to your travel assignment from wherever you live and the mileage to get back after your 13 week assignment. The miles that it takes each and every day to go from the motel or apartment to the hospital and back again is your daily "commute" and not deductible. And just for clarification, I am referring to my personal vehicle. Not a rental, not a taxi, no parking garage fees and all of the other stuff you threw into the mix that are "BUSINESS EXPENSES"

A 13 week travel assignment is not a business trip. You make me laugh when you tell me to go to a CPA. Been there and done that. I have 2 Brothers in law that are CPA's. both of them have no clue how the travel nurse thing works and how the tax free meals and lodging stipend works any more than going to the guy sitting behind the desk at H&R Block. However, both of them agreed that the daily commute to and from work, regardless if you are at home or at a motel away from home is not allowable.

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Specializes in Neurovascular Surgery.
Do you and Ned know each other or work in the same specialty? You both have the same style of communicating. It's quite fascinating. :)

Thanks... it's the ALPHA personality.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

If you ask me, NedRN is way more personable :)

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

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A 13 week travel assignment is not a business trip.

Wow. If that is true, there is no legal way to get tax-free housing, mileage, per diem at all, whether reimbursed or deducted. The entire industry is wrong. You've got a lot of work to do!

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Thanks... it's the ALPHA personality.

Alpha? lol On a forum?

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Alpha? lol On a forum?

Did someone call me ? :D

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