The pandemic led to a large number of professionals working from home instead of their office space. Many may be wondering how this will affect their taxes and if they’ll get a tax break.
The general thinking could be leaning towards you getting a break as an employee working from home, but that may not be the case. Tax breaks of the sort ended with the 2017 tax cuts with little exemptions. This means employees who don’t get reimbursed for their expenses by their employers can’t claim those expenses the way they used to. It’s more complex If you are self-employed and there are rules to be mindful of. You can still deduct a home office and some other expenses related to working from home, but want to ensure you are following the guidelines. It helps to speak with an accountant to get more clarity, but here is some helpful information:
What Can I Claim On My Taxes Working from Home?
Employee
You are not supposed to deduct your expenses when you work from home as an employee if your taxes, social security and medicare are deducted from your paycheck. Prior to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by the United States Congress, employees could deduct expenses like mileage, home office supplies, work outfits and more. The IRS now tends to qualify remote employee expenses of that manner as “miscellaneous itemized deductions” and since 2018 itemized deductions can only be taken if they exceed the standardized deductions.
Self Employed
Self employed professionals and business owners can still deduct for their office, meals, mileage supplies, marketing and more. Expenses you get in regards to working from home are tax deductible. It’s important to note that the expenses need to be exclusive to the business’s operations. A space used as an office by day and bedroom any other time would likely not be compliant. The space being used needs to be exclusively used for your business.
Tax Breaks Due to Covid-19?
There aren’t currently any special tax breaks for those working from home due to the pandemic. You can however count on a good accountant to ensure you get any tax breaks related to the pandemic if there are changes in the future.
In conclusion, the changes to the tax laws with regards to working from home may be confusing as time goes on. Having a professional assist you with your finances as an employee or business owner can make a difference. Accountant’s like us here at Motl Accounting are mostly aware of these changes and can help you get the most out of your taxes.
If you need to know more about what you can claim on your taxes, contact a professional at We’ve helped several individuals, families and businesses with getting the most they deserve out of their taxes.