Tax Time - How do you file?

[alkaleidi]

As an ED staff nurse, and having worked in a variety of settings -- staff nurse and travel nurse -- I've spent a lot of money on STUFF... uniforms (facility to facility, different places want you to wear different colors of scrubs), stethoscopes, shoes, references, shoes, more scrubs, shoes, scissors, did I mention shoes? LOL. In all seriousness, I am wondering if I can get more money back by including those expenses in my taxes?

I always thought that you had to have a certain amount of expense before you could actually claim it on your taxes -- is that correct?

So PLEASE... I would appreciate responses from as many of you as possible...

1: what is your employment status? (i.e. FT at one hospital and PRN at another, or FT at a hospital and PRN thru an agency, travel nurse, FT contract plus PRN somewhere else, etc)

2: how do you file?

3: what all do you deduct, and how do you do it?

THANK YOU in advance!!!

-A

[lvnandmomx3]

I would get professional advice from an accountant that specialized in field. They will be able to tell you if standard decuctions vs. itemized best fit you situation and what exactly can be deducted ( there may be a cap in shoes and clothing).

[morte, LPN, LVN]

check with the pros.....but be forewarned it takes a lot of spending on the typical RN salary to reach the required level to deduct work expenses!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I deduct scrubs, shoes, steths & other equipment, and seminars/education which do not get reimbursed by my employer as "unreimbursed job expenses."

[Dental Hygienist]

In general, yep you can deduct these things, IF you meet certain minimum requirements. You have to itemize (so for example fill out a 1040 and attach a schedule A)

And, then the total amount of your work related expenses (plus a couple of other applicable things such as tax prep. fees etc.) must be more than 2% of your adjusted gross income. For example, my AGI was $57,555 so multiply that by 2% which is $1,151...so if I spent more than $1,151 on that "stuff" then I can deduct it. In 2007 I spent $1,483 so then you subtract $1,151 from what you spent and in my case it was $332...so that was how much I got to deduct. Clear as mud, right?:wink2:

Don't forget you can deduct ANY non-reimbursed work related expense...this includes such things as licensure fees, malpractice insurance, shoes, scrubs, tools, reference materials, CE courses, even meals and hotels related to CE courses (if they are not reimbursed).

Obviously, you should check w/ a CPA with regards to your specific situation to make sure all these things are allowable and don't just take my word for it...but I was pleasantly surprised when my CPA said I could deduct expenses related to my CE courses and not just the tuition of the CE course itself. That probably bumped me over the threshhold for 2007. For 2006 I spent around $900 and couldn't deduct any of it!

[bagladyrn, RN]

Make sure that you find a tax professional who is experience in dealing with travel nurses as there are specific issues related to that which the tax preparer will need to be familiar with.