The Home Office Deduction: Know the Do's and Don'ts

Tax rules regarding the home office deduction have changed a lot over the years.

The law allows consultants, salespeople and other self-employed workers to deduct home office expenses. So, how about you? Can you deduct home office expenses?

If you do your administrative or management work at home and have no other office, even though you provide services or see customers away from the home office? As usual, the answer is, "it depends."

The deduction is permitted if you:

• Use a portion of your dwelling exclusively as your principal place of business on a regular basis.
• Use a portion of your dwelling to perform important business functions for which no other space is available.
• Use a portion of your dwelling exclusively as a place of business to meet with patients, clients, or customers.
• Use a separate structure – not attached to the dwelling – exclusively in connection with your trade or business.
• Engage in the trade or business of selling products and regularly use a portion of your dwelling to store products or samples.

The deduction is claimed by including a Form 8829 in your Individual Income Tax Return.

We can explain the details of these rules. We know what documentation you need and how to prepare the Form 8829 to claim this important tax benefit. Just give us a call.