Cell phone write off ?

i deducted the cost of my cellphone, and the carhartt has mercer sewn on it .

and since many times i am REQUIRED to wear long sleeves and honestly " required" to wear long pants at some sites , and when i tear or render a pair unwearable while working on the truck, the replacement will go in the deduction stack.

i even deducted my twic card and hazmat endorsement cost, and the cost of the fingerprint check and even my passport costs.

 

if you use cell phone for work as a driver yes you can claim the percentage of use on your taxes if you use gps it can be claimed

 

dbeing with small company. the cell phone is our communication with work.

our dispatch and most our communication is done text message.

 

Actually "entertainment" expenses have a few caveats before you can claim this deduction.

A driver going to a movie theater, watching a ball game, buying movies or video games are NOT legitimate "entertainment" deductions while he is "out on the road."

The following link will provide the necessary clarification for anyone who thinks they qualify for "entertainment" related deductions;


http://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/ch02.html

 

Sounds like a bunch of girls here!
Deduct all of your phone except say 10 dollars a month if you don't have a home phone deduct a resonable amount for work clothes(I use 10 dollars a week) Take your 59.00 a day per diem @ 80% and any hotel expense you fell you want to claim based on the goverenments guide and you generally will have no problems. If you do they may send you a letter for clairfacation of your deductions. What are they going to do? Kill you and eat you?
Worst thing could be a you have to pay a few dollars if they disallow something. The key word is reasonable. Your logbook supplies what you need for the per diem deduction and hotel if you claim any?
Theres a guide online that has average rates where you don't need receipts on some of this.

 

That looks like the standard applies to everyone section. Last time I really read through it, which was a couple of years ago, there's a separate section with slightly different rules. A businessman on a trip is not considered the same as living on the road. That may have changed since I dug through it but I doubt it.

Oh wait, it's in there, and yes you can. 80% of expenses:

Face value of tickets:

 

The above quote applies specifically to meals. No dispute about the 80% deduction for the per diem. There are addtional ways of computing per diem such as actual expenses (receipts), the hi/lo method, or the city by city allowance guide published by the IRS.



I believe the sticking point in this is as an OTR Truck Driver we are not "entertaining" business contacts. We do not "discuss" business while we go to a movie theater or watch a ball game on our "off duty time."


Your final quote lends creedence to my argument;

I have capitalized and underlined the relevant part of your quote above. Notice it says nothing about entertaining yourself. It always refers to entertainment as it relates to expenses for OTHER parties.

I think we have a difference of opinion on the meaning of the above quotes. Feel free to continue doing things the way you have been or better yet seek out the tax advice of John Turner or Esta Klatzkin. Both are nationally known and heard regularly on Satellite radio.

 

Read again:

That is specified as related to truck drivers so they've already taken those points into account.

 

I will be sure to contact John Turner right now and see what his interpretation is. As soon as I get a response I will relay it to you and the forum.

 

Entertainment is expenses related to a business associate. It is not entertainment for yourself. According to Mr turner in the mornings