well i have to say it would be rather impossible to determine the amount of % of use, but yes i can NOT get my loads without my cell...it IS required and they do not pay for it...i am constantly calling dispatch, customers and many times the brokers about the load i am on at the time...however i do not get an Itemized bill that lists each individual phone call...but i am in constant contact with my dispatch on a daily basis, we are not equipped with qual-comms, etc...

however i did just purchase a new bluetooth online yesterday....i will be writing that cost off!

yep write that off, dont know about other states but California, Washington, and soon Oregon have laws against talking on a cell fone with it up to yer tater head.

it should be perfectly legal to talk on the phone as long as its with a wireless device... ie. bluetooth, headset....

Just thought I would let you know my deductions. Some of these have already been claimed like the laptop and cb so i cannot claim them again.

CB radio
CB radio upgrades
Sirius Receiver "Weather and traffic"
Sirius Subscription
Verizon Cell Phone
Verizon Wireless Internet Card for Laptop
Verizon Monthly Bill for phone and internet
Laptop "GPS and customer lookup and company log in and banking"
ALL 12-volt accesories and plugs and wires EXCEPT TV "CAN'T CLAIM TV"
ATM service fee charged by ATM
ATM service fee charged by my bank
Postage stamps and envelopes
Carhart jacket and Boots for walking on snow and ice
Showers "If you have a paid receipt"
Laundry "I claim $14.00 a week with no receipt cause they are coin-op"
Fax charges
Pens
Paper
Zip ties
Truck cleaning materials "Windex, paper towels, tissues, trash can"
Truck organizing materials "seat back organizer, phone holder, visor org."
New Atlas every year
Clipboard
ALL TOLLS AND SCALES AND PARKING NOT REIMBURSED BY COMPANY
Tools "screwdrivers, wrenches, 3lb sledge, pin puller, tire knocker"
ALSO TICKETS AND FINES as well as LEGAL FEES
CDL and ID CARDS "Hazmat, TWIC, Endorsments"
Safety vest, safety glasses, Hard Hat
Truck Bed sheets, pillows, sleeping bag
Truck fan 12-volt
Power inverter
IdleAire

These are mine as a COMPANY driver, as an O/O you will have more. Pretty much claim anything you use in your truck, must be a reasonable item that is regular to your industry, you cannot say a gold plated license plate is regular, HOWEVER the plate FRAME would be deductable. Also claim anything to maintain the truck like zip ties and any tools, HOWEVER do not claim you use a circular saw in your truck.

As Hard as I tried my Accountant would not let me claim my TV, IPOD, or Audio Books "he would let me claim audiobooks if they were educational."

My accountant did warn me though that common items like papertowels and postage SHOULD be purchased AT LEAST 50 miles from my house otherwise if ever audited the IRS will attempt to claim they were for home use and not truck use. If it is your word vs the IRS who do you think will win?

Between the IRS and me. I say me.

I dealt with them for over 20 years as enrolled agent. Still get to deal with them annually with my remaining clients.

Be careful. Items such as postage, faxes, scales, lumper's, tolls, truck washes, are normally re-reimbursed by the carrier. If your carrier does indeed reimburse the driver (company drivers and lease operators) for these items yet the driver declined to submit them for reimbursement (for whatever reason) the IRS can disallow these deductions.

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Adapting to an ever changing world.

Dang, I missed this thread somehow, lol. Didn't see the replies.

As far as phones...like I said before...lots of people take a lot of deductions because they think they can...which is different from knowing. And many of the people who know they can...only heard they can because they heard it from somewhere else. lol....example....I specifially cited you can only deduct the depreciation...and then this:

Right...but its not. I don't know the number, but many states outlaw using cell phones by themselves while in a vehicle. Others go further and restrict wireless usage, and still others I believe (could be wrong on this last one) outlaw cell usage altogether.

I mean...Im not trying to be a geek here, just...I don't know where the IRS specifically spells out what can and can not be used as a deduction. For example...work clothes. Schneider for example says you must use workboots, so that could be a deduction...however they only have recommendations as far as clothing, and I don't think they are specific at all in jackets...so workboots are the only requirements they have as a company; as such, if Im understanding the IRS correctly...you can only take off what they require. If I didn't take the free boots we get each year, I could buy a pair and write em off. I can't write off jackets and gloves...unless that falls into some other category.

Maybe we could get a IRS nerd to spend some time and specifically tell us what we can and can not take as deductions / write offs...just have one big ol locked seperate thread where we can go to for easy access...maybe even have some IRS links as well so we all know for sure what we can and can not take?

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"You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept Communism outright. But we will keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you finally wake up and realize you already have communism. We won’t have to fight you; we’ll so weaken your economy that you will fall like over ripe fruit into our hands."
Former Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev

ok, i see your point and i totally agree, i've been searching for a reliable source site that lists what we can and cannot, but havent come accross anything solid yet....keep me posted for when u do tho..

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ok
1) why can you not claim your tv that u use in your truck for educational purposes and entertainment as well?

2) explain why you CAN deduct your ATM/Bank fees?

3) how do you estimate $14.00 for laundry services?...you seem to be wearing too many clothes at a time,.,.lol
now i'm home every weekend unless i choose to stay out longer and i do my laundry every weekend when i come home, can i not deduct laundry anyway?