Home Office Deduction
The home office deduction was misused in the past which made it an audit red flag.
Home office deduction. Taxpayers must meet specific requirements to claim home expenses as a deduction. If you use part of your home exclusively and regularly for conducting business you may be able to deduct expenses such as mortgage interest insurance utilities repairs and depreciation for that area. The simplified method can make it easier for you to claim the deduction but might not provide you with biggest deduction.
Home office deduction at a glance. There are certain expenses taxpayers can deduct. If you meet patients clients or customers in your home office in the normal course of business your home office might qualify for a deduction.
The home office deduction allows you to deduct any portion of your home that is used as your office. The key to using this. Deducting a home office is treated differently depending on your business type.
So if your office space breaks down to 10 of your home s total square footage you can deduct 10 of your home costs which could add up to a sizable chunk of change. To qualify your home must generally serve as a base for administration of your business even if you need to travel to meet with clients or customers. Generally deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of your home devoted to business use.
Whether you qualify for this deduction is determined each year. Even just a nook or corner could serve as your home office. You must also meet the regular and exclusive use requirements.
So if you use a whole room or part of a room for conducting your business you need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities. Employees are not eligible to claim the home office deduction. You need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities utilities repairs and depreciation.