Is There A Standard Deduction For Supplies?

I just started as a team driver and I'm doing my co drivers taxes but he didnt keep receipts for his supplies...Boots,gloves ect. How can i estimate this so he doesnt get audited? Any help would be appreciated.

I just started as a team driver and I'm doing my co drivers taxes but he didnt keep receipts for his supplies...Boots,gloves ect. How can i estimate this so he doesnt get audited? Any help would be appreciated.

As a former tax preparer, I can tell you legally he can't deduct anything without receipts.

There is a standard deduction for food while on the road, but as far as I can tell, you will need to claim everything else individually and yes, keep all receipts, although for the standard food deduction, just being able to prove that you were truly on the road for the days being claimed is all that is required. You'll have to look up the standard deduction. It's between $50 and $60 per eligible day on the road (typically meaning 'full days').

This is all off the top of my head, so please don't consider this to be sound advice from any sort of tax professional - please do your official research.

An OTR driver can claim nearly everything from glass cleaner and paper towels to beets and burgers. Yes, even company drivers! Just be sure that what you claim is not reimbursed in any way. You cannot claim clothing that can be easily utilized as civilian clothing either. You can however claim uniforms (if they are not provided, but required).

I just started as a team driver and I'm doing my co drivers taxes but he didnt keep receipts for his supplies...Boots,gloves ect. How can i estimate this so he doesnt get audited? Any help would be appreciated.

Any deduction you take and don't have proof will end badly. The IRS can only audit expense. So without proof you would be doomed. Always have the proof. One question did he use a credit card or debit card?

Whoa... take time to research IRS

Standard Meal Allowance

Generally, you can use the “standard meal allowance” method as an alternative to the actual cost method. It allows you to use a set amount for your daily meals and incidental expenses (M&IE), instead of keeping records of your actual costs. The set amount varies depending on where and when you travel. In this publication, “standard meal allowance” refers to the federal rate for M&IE, discussed later under Amount of standard meal allowance . If you use the standard meal allowance, you still must keep records to prove the time, place, and business purpose of your travel. See the recordkeeping rules for travel in chapter 5 .

Incidental expenses. The term “incidental expenses” means fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships. Incidental expenses do not include expenses for laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing, lodging taxes, costs of telegrams or telephone calls, transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, or the mailing cost of filing travel vouchers and paying employer-sponsored charge card billings. Incidental-expenses-only method. You can use an optional method (instead of actual cost) for deducting incidental expenses only. The amount of the deduction is $5 a day. You can use this method only if you did not pay or incur any meal expenses. You cannot use this method on any day that you use the standard meal allowance. This method is subject to the proration rules for partial days. See Travel for days you depart and return , later in this chapter.

Whoa... take time to research IRS

If this is a comment to me... the IRS website isn't going to tell me anything new. I keep track of every change as it happens. I've had a PTIN and a EFIN for 5 years. If he used a credit card or debit card for his purchases. Transaction history is where you can find the purchases. That can also be printed as proof. Setting up a bank account for purchases things for work will make this a lot easier when tax time comes. Keeping track of paper receipts isn't going to be easy for 12 months. The ink fades and so does memory. If it is work related and unreimbursed (Not played back by your company) you can right it off.