It's Tax time, here is the requisite thread

[COOPERVANE]

It's getting to be tax season. I'm starting to get together my LEGALLY deductible job-related expenses to do my taxes.

Obviously any non reimbursed job expenses (uniform, parking, job search, van tips etc) are typical.

My question is.....

Any great LEGAL deductions I am missing?

Do any of you deduct your cell phone? 50% 100%?

Obviously the $13,000 TAG with the ELT built in might raise a red flag, but how about.

• Cell phone
• Health club membership (gotta keep that medical you know)
• Per Diem minus Co. reimbursement
• headsets (since co. also provides them)

For some regional pilots

• Jet Polish
• Oakleys w/hair gel resistant lenses
• Backpack
• Ipod Com-panel adapter
• porn
• hair gel

Anything unusual you have deducted?

 

[N tha jungle]

Three items come to mind:
1) north face back pack (travel pro is not cool enough)
2) ipod and conector plug to play for the entire cabin
3) sun-in for frosted tips

come on, i know i've forgetten several!

oh one more- docs with the yellow thread.

 

[Soverytired]

How about:

Reversible underwear for those day trips that turned into overnighters by surprise?


(also good for those "co-pilot trying to kill me" moments)

 

[Flyerdan]

Those were all funny responses but a serious one would also be appreciated. Do you use a tax person with specific aviation experience? I know my wife and I are going to get killed on taxes this year. I need to start getting it right for next year.

 

[Longhorn]

Well, I know one guy that can answer tax questions regarding the ipod's, hair dye/gel and backpacks....

This ex mesa pilot can.

 

[dbchandler1]

deduct miles driving to and from the airport?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

U can only deduct travel/crashpad-type expenses if you don't have a base.

If your base is MSP-you can't deduct anything related to MSP.

If your base is PHX, but you're temporarily sent to PHL for a couple of months, you can deduct ALL related travel expenses to PHL.

cliff
TPA

 

[instructordude]

Condoms,

Seriously I deducted it last year.

 

[DoinTime]

When it comes down to it you can deduct anything you want. Now when it comes to legal deductions there is no gold standard especially in the grey areas. The legitimacy of your deductions will have to pass the smell test of your particular auditor and you'd better be able to provide some pretty good justifications if you did your own taxes.

Obviously any non reimbursed job expenses (uniform, parking, job search, van tips etc) are typical.

Uniform - The litmus test here is that only pieces not generally accepted as "public" apparel are deductible. Blazer, shirts, and epaulets are a yes. Slacks and overcoat are a maybe depending on the style of your particular airline but underwear, undershirts, socks and shoes are a no.

Parking - No

Job Search - Yes

Van Tips - No (with exception). If you are already taking the deduction for ME&I the "I" part is incidentals and that includes tips. If you do not take the ME&I deduction you can deduct tips.

My question is.....

Any great LEGAL deductions I am missing?

Do any of you deduct your cell phone? 50% 100%?

$13,000 TAG with the ELT built in - No

Cell phone - Only the portion of use that the company requires of you. If you are a line holder thats probably zero. Using your personal phone to call dispatch and scheduling while at work when the company provides a phone does not count. If you are required to maintain a mobile phone you can deduct whatever percentage of that phones use that is for company business.

Health club membership (gotta keep that medical you know) - No, but the cost of the medical is deductible.

Per Diem minus Co. reimbursement - If the proper tax rules are applied, this is legit. You will not get the full difference between allowable per diem and company paid per diem. (See above remark about ME&I)

headsets (since co. also provides them) - No

deduct miles driving to and from the airport? - No


[quoteIf your base is MSP-you can't deduct anything related to MSP.

If your base is PHX, but you're temporarily sent to PHL for a couple of months, you can deduct ALL related travel expenses to PHL.[/quote]

This is spot on correct. The only commuting/crash pad expenses that are deductible are if you are temporarily stationed somewhere other than your permanent station. There is some argument over whether the base change has to be involuntary or not but that is undecided.

 

[Jmoney]

Yep....

Condoms,

Seriously I deducted it last year.

Well uniform items are definitely deductible, and you certainly could use a little something to cover your head. In your case, that protuberance between your shoulders would certainly be a most appropriate location for a ribbed version.

-You a truly an idiot, Instructorfool!

-BTW-what are you doing on this board again, since you claim you never come here, tooldrawer?