The Home Office Deduction
This method includes certain costs paid for a home.
The home office deduction. If the office measures 150 square feet for example then the deduction would be 750 150 x 5. 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. Direct expenses let you write off 100 percent of costs associated specifically with your home office everything from painting the office to buying a work computer or a second phone for. Simplified option for home office deduction internal revenue service skip to main content.
Requirements to claim the home office deduction. Deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of the home devoted to business use. Regardless of the method chosen there are two basic requirements for your home to qualify as a deduction. You must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business.
Employees are not eligible to claim the home office deduction. For example part of the rent for rented homes may qualify. 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. In light of the coronavirus pandemic the irs will most likely have a difficult time making the argument that a.
The home office deduction form 8829is available to both homeowners and renters. For example a taxpayer who uses an extra room to run their business can take a home office deduction only for that extra room so long as it is used both regularly and exclusively in the business. It merely simplifies the calculation and recordkeeping requirements of the allowable deduction. The rules for claiming a home office deduction remain the same.
This new method uses a prescribed rate multiplied by the allowable square footage used in the home. Regular and exclusive use. Regular and exclusive use. The term home for purposes of this deduction is defined as a house apartment condominium mobile home boat or similar property.
The second and established method for a home office deduction uses form 8829 whereby taxpayers must determine which costs are direct or indirect expenses. Here are some things to help taxpayers understand the home office deduction and whether they can claim it. Home office deduction at a glance. How to claim a home office tax deduction the irs offers two ways to calculate a home office tax deduction one simple the other a bit more involved says jeff morris accounting partner at.
For 2019 the prescribed rate is 5 per square foot with a maximum of 300 square feet. The home office deduction was misused in the past which made it an audit red flag.