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September 11, 2019
Question

Similar Expenses for Regular Job and Small Business

  • September 11, 2019
  • 1 reply
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I have worked for a company for 9 years and receive a W-2. This job involves mostly working in a home office with some travel. The travel involves personal use of my car for local travel and also company paid or reimbursed travel via airlines for out of state. I also own a small business that is a transport company (transporting rescue animals) that drives all over the country. I have large vans, use contract workers to drive, and have normal business expenses associated with a small business, but I do this job (scheduling, marketing, invoicing, etc) from my home office. Can I split office expenses, etc. between the two jobs or should home office expense be applied to only one? Although office space is shared, there are separate office supply expenses for each company. How can I add my personal (non company paid/reimbursed) travel expenses for the W-2 company and also add the small business travel expenses? Both jobs incur fuel, mileage, meals, tolls, etc. I certainly don't want to do the wrong thing, but certainly don't want to miss out on any deductions. 

    1 reply

    September 11, 2019

    Starting with 2018 tax returns, job-related expenses are NOT deductible on your federal return.  So forget using mileage, home office, etc. on your federal return for your W-2 job.  Some states will still allow deductions for W-2 job-related expenses so you will be able to enter the expenses, but they will not be deductions to your federal return.  The information flows from your federal return to the state return.

     

    https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4482873-which-federal-tax-deductions-have-been-suspended-by-tax-reform

     

    You can still enter the business expenses you have for your self-employment income on a schedule C.

    **Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**