Taxes as company driver

I'm wondering whether to get a tax guy as a 1st year driver as well.

Because I get per diem as well. On my pay stub my company issues me the per diem for each day I work. On my last trip of the week, my company takes away the dollar amount for per diem labeled as "per diem deduction".

They then give me back the exact dollar amount that they just deducted a few lines above, labeled as "per diem reimbursement".

So, for example:

Per diem deduction: $450
Per diem reimbursement: $450

So I never actually receive an extra $450 in the end per week on my check. They deduct it then give it back to me. And from what I understand, that first $450 that I earned doesn't get taxed at the fed or state level.

Anyways, seems confusing to me. Not sure if there's a single simple line to fill out for the per diem or if I should just get a tax guy to fo it.

 

Trust me. You have a lot more deductions than you think. Especially if your a OTR driver.
You can deducted a lot of things and it adds up.

 

Do you use your cell phone for any kind of work uses? That’s a deduction.
Did you purchase a cooler? A inverter? The list goes on.

 

If he’s an employee driver he can no longer itemize.

 

Well, you can still itemize, but the standard deduction was raised to 12k single, 24k married.

I just went to the CPA this week to see where we were at.

In his opinion, the tax changes created about 25% more labor for him, and the benefits applied mainly to the upper crust of his clients.

 

No longer true for employee drivers.

 

If you don't meet your standard deduction.

There's nothing to deduct.

And didn't the IRS do away with per diem.
And from the sounds of things. Housing was also taken away. From what I've been hearing from cpa and family.

 

Employees can no longer deduct job related expenses. If you’re an employee working a job there’s no need to pay someone to do your taxes anymore.

 

For company drivers there has been no tax benefit for per diem since 2016.

 

The vast majority of income tax is paid by people wirh higher incomes. "The rich" pay comething around 75% of income taxes. ANY tax break SHOULD go to those paying the taxes.

 

So if a company still does the per diem.

How does that work out when filing?

I would think you'd have to pay the taxes on that which your company isn't paying.