How to write off meals while out on the road?

$59 a day every night you are on the road.

 

I maintain a log for all my days out on the road. To include where I started off and where I wound up each driving day.

As a driver, you are entitled to the standard $59.00 a day @ 80% which equals $47.20. I also keep a copy of all my bills of laden for each tax year.

Some companies include per diem in with the drivers payroll and some don't.

Search the forums here as there are multiple threads on the subject with drivers far more versed on the topic than I am.

 

$59 * 80% = full days away from domicile.

$59 * 75% = days going to/from domicile.

full days at domicile = nothing.

 

you can't write off meals, that's what the per diem is used for

the per deim paid for that hotdog, or whatever you are eating

 

If you went to Canada you get more for the day spent there.

Give your CPA your:
W2
Days out
Days spent in Canada

Any expenses totaling over $300 (like a new GPS or work related item)

Walk out door and don't worry about it till the refund comes & point to them if they audit...what I do.

But if you want to do it yourself its a schedule c document and another one I forget. Not difficult at all.

 

It's actually 80% of $59 a day, you don't need receipts, but you can't just fill a EZ form for taxes, you must itemize,

 

and that $300 for gps won't cut the mustard when you already get whatever amount the irs gives these days.

you have to spend MORE then that amount in order to itemize deductions. i don't know the amount but it's well over $5000. so unless you spend that much in work related items every year. your wasting your time on receipts.

when i was a mechanic. i could deduct my tools. but only if they exceeded the amount the irs already gives us.

 

i always like to keep things simple,260 days thats 5 days a week for 52 weeks. went thru two irs audits they never blinked a eye. on one audit they gave me 800 bucks back. b safe out there

 

Not sure what your point is here, but I don't spend nearly $5000 a year, but I do itemize every year, and end up getting everything back I paid in for taxes, my tax accountant is well worth is $75. Charge