It merely simplifies the calculation and.
Home office deductions 2018. You need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities utilities repairs and depreciation. We are experiencing high call volumes resulting in long wait times. Requirements to claim the home office deduction. The home office deduction is not a red flag for an irs audit.
Whether you qualify for this deduction is determined each year. Generally when using the regular method deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of your home devoted to business use. For example if your home office is 150 square feet and your home is 1800 square feet you could claim 8 percent of your home related expenses on your tax return 150 1800. The simplified method can make it easier for you to claim the deduction but might not provide you with biggest deduction.
Simplified method as an alternative to computing the actual costs of your expenses the irs offers a simplified method to make the home office deduction calculation easier. 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. Beginning with the 2018 tax year fewer taxpayers will. If you re an employee who works from home you may be able to claim a deduction for home office expenses.
Beginning in tax year 2013 returns filed in 2014 taxpayers may use a simplified option when figuring the deduction for business use of their home. For example if your home office space is 200 square feet and your home is 2000 square feet you would claim 10 200 2000 of your home related expenses insurance taxes mortgage interest etc. Another huge benefit of working from home is claiming money saving tax deductions. However unless you make what for many would be a dramatic change to your work status there won t be anywhere for you to claim your home office expenses when you file your 2018 tax returns.
This simplified option does not change the criteria for who may claim a home office 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. You cannot deduct more than 10 000 5 000 if married filing separate of your total state and local taxes as an itemized deduction on schedule a including real estate taxes the amount that you can enter on the worksheet to figure the deduction for business use of your home line 7 may not be the full amount of real estate taxes you paid. Deducting a home office is treated differently depending on your business type.