Tax time

Turbo tax is fine. You can deduct $59/day (per diem)with no receipts. $59x5x52= $15,340 right off the top, if you work 5 days a week. And no, you don't need to prove when you were out.

 

$63 as of 10/01/15

 

I didn't download my logs from last year. Am I SOL as far as taking the per diem deduction? I might have all my paycheck stubs if I didn't throw some of them out.

 

Oh snap, glad I didn't do mine yet!!! Mo money mo money mo money!!!!

 

I would download them and total them up you get the correct number.

I gave the IRS page by page of my Cell phone bill from 1/1/11 through 12/31/2011. I highlighted all known business calls, when I went for the appeals meeting, I noticed that on many of pages, calls made to wife's line (they also had her phone statement, so it had her number) were marked in red. They also inquired with me about a couple of other common numbers, like my Dad's cell.

If you don't have something to prove it, they won't allow it. Again, they went day by day on my log books and totaled it up. She took the 6 mos. total that SHE COUNTED, doubled it, when it came out to within $150.00 of my actual calculation, she allowed my amount. She stated a couple of times, the more written documentation you have, the more likely they are to let it slide or rule in your favor. If you claim $15,340, but don't have log books to back it up, they will disallow it until you can prove it.

 

I have a better chance of hitting the lottery than I do getting an audit as I do my own and I do it right, no worries at all. And I was always on paper logs, I can show anything if I had to.

I also always claimed eight dependents so the job wouldn't take anything out of my check and I never ever paid one penny to the IRS at the end of the year. Nobody on a truckers income should be paying any taxes and if you knew all the rules and loopholes you wouldn't.

If you don't take the time to learn it and do it yourself, it's not rocket science, then you will always pay too much. H&R Block isn't working for you, they don't even give you half of the deductions you are entitled to but you wouldn't know that if you don't learn it on your own.

And If you got audited I can almost bet you had somebody else do it for you, If so, you got what you paid for.

 

As do I, and yes the odds are in your favor, all it takes is that one "magical" moment, and the letter arrives in the mail.

Nope, I do it myself, and again, it was random luck of the draw. However, if someone does it for you and you're audited, it's on them to defend you and pay the fines and penalties.

Ask your employer if they've had an a "IRS employee background audit". In 2009 and 2014, my company had an informal audit, which was basically a review of all employees and what they claimed on their withholding. They do these at random all the time.

As for the audit process, here's what I was audited on:
1. Medical deductions
2. Charitable Contribution
3. Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses
4. Misc. Deductions.

Initially, everything was done via the mail, however, as I have since learned, you are better off demanding a Face to Face audit. The problem is, the IRS is understaffed, so they rarely do face to face audits, instead, they require you to provide the documentation and they will review it. If you don't think they will, I can assure you, the woman that did mine went page by page. Initially I submitted more than 600 pages of documentation, with another 70 supplements later, her notes ( in some form or another) take up 700 pages. For every page in my log book as submitted, she has a note regarding that page, either on the copy I sent or on a separate piece of paper.

Also, be prepared, every shred of documentation you submit, they will make phone calls about if needed. According to my boss, the woman that did my audit called her at least 8 times requesting information. I know for a fact they verified some medical bills that were submitted, as my Chiropractor got a call confirming a couple of line items.

I hired a lawyer at one point, who got me squat, once everything finishes up in about a month, I'll be emailing him the details of how badly he failed me.

 

H&r block was all I had to read. If they pay the penalties and go to IRS for you he way over paid for premium servuce

 

Any O/O's here that were hit with a heavy tax bill before? What happens if you don't have the money to pay it all at once?

 

Only one time about eight years ago the IRS requested some documentation for a deduction. I called and asked them if that document could be used against me, they said yes. I then said I will not be submitting the document under the fifth amendment which allows me to not put forth anything that can be used against me. I haven't heard from them since.