Tax deductions brainstorm

[yohoe]

What are expenses people could write off on this years taxes?

I assume all these could be written off since they are direct work expenses:
*Haircuts
*Medals/ribbons/uniforms/etc over the $2.1k initial uniform allowance
*UHaul and gas for DITY moves (govt doesn't cover this cost in their reimbursement (they only pay you for the labor you preformed))
*OCS expenses not covered by allowances but required to have (class dues for haircuts/tshirts/RLP stuff)

 

[Kathy]

I assume all these could be written off since they are direct work expenses:
*Haircuts

I researched this one a few years back and found that haircuts are not deductible. See the 3rd paragraph:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/tax_scam_military.html

 

[insanebikerboy]

What are expenses people could write off on this years taxes?

I assume all these could be written off since they are direct work expenses:
*Haircuts
*Medals/ribbons/uniforms/etc over the $2.1k initial uniform allowance
*UHaul and gas for DITY moves (govt doesn't cover this cost in their reimbursement (they only pay you for the labor you preformed))
*OCS expenses not covered by allowances but required to have (class dues for haircuts/tshirts/RLP stuff)

I'm not so sure you're correct on the DITY move stuff. You do realize you have to submit receipts for all of that stuff (truck, gas, oil) and are subsequently reimbursed. Hence, you're getting paid for that equipment that is part of your move.

 

[D_Rob]

And you do realize you need to be able to claim more than the standard deduction to make it worth it.

Check it,
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=389

 

[MasterBates]

Here are the big ones you can do:

Student loan interest up to $2500
Alimony/other similar blood money
Sales Tax paid (it's under "State taxes paid" in most tax software)

DITY Moves DO reimburse you for the total cost of the move. You are not taxed on the cost of the truck and gas, because the moving business would not be either. That's an operating expense, and is already written off via not being taxed on that portion of your DITY move money.

 

[insanebikerboy]

If I'm not mistaken, moving expenses are considered an adjustment, not a deduction.

 

[Ektar]

As far as deducting costs associated with a DITY move goes, I'm fairly sure you can deduct anything the government does not reimburse for. If you read the fine print on the DITY paperwork, the government won't pay for a car carrier to move your car. So, as far as I know, you are within your legal right to claim the expenses associated with the car carrier on your taxes because it is not reimbursed. I'm sure there are other little things like that you can claim....

 

[kmac]

For all of these work related expenses, doesn't it still have to be greater than 2% of your gross income? In other words, take the total deductions that you can come up with for work, and subtract 2% of your gross income. Flying out/ins are another example of a deductible item, but I figured out that I would need 31 (or so) in a year just to get it up 2%.

 

[Birdog8585]

I think my brain has gone to plaid

 

[insanebikerboy]

As far as deducting costs associated with a DITY move goes, I'm fairly sure you can deduct anything the government does not reimburse for. If you read the fine print on the DITY paperwork, the government won't pay for a car carrier to move your car. So, as far as I know, you are within your legal right to claim the expenses associated with the car carrier on your taxes because it is not reimbursed. I'm sure there are other little things like that you can claim....

I've always submitted the receipt for pulling my Jeep on a car carrier and I've gotten reimbursed for it. That's been several moves.

One thing the Navy won't reimburse but you can claim is if you ship your car via a commercial carrier.

 

[Kathy]

IRS publication on moving expenses: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p521/ar02.html

Non-reimbursed costs are tax deductible. House-hunting related expenses are not. Neither are meals purchased during the move. The cost of moving pets is deductible.

 

[abracadabra11]

Standard deduction for me - itemizing is not worth my while just yet.

 

[Morgan81]

Standard deduction for me - itemizing is not worth my while just yet.

I just used that in Turbo Tax but then noticed that my student loan interest was deducted on top of that. Is that new this year, because I remember in years past when I used an accountant he always said it wasn't important if I had my interest letters since it wouldn't add up to the standard deduction.

 

[MasterBates]

Student loans are an AGI item. They come off before deductions.

I have been writing it off for 13 years. Its not new.

Morgan, your tax guy was an idiot if he didn't know that. It's on the front of the 1040, not even buried in some archaic IRS pub.

 

[FENIAN]

Does anyone know if there is a limit on the Uniform Expenses? I spent easily $3K on uniforms this summer. Insanity.