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Mileage

June 09, 2010 04:08AM
Hi all

Just double checking, can I claim mileage to and from an assignment. My brother seems to think I can only claim to an assignment.

Also, if I have three assignments, the way I'm claiming is
from home to a, a to b, b to c and then c to home. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance.
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More About Mystery Shopping Taxes
June 09, 2010 05:04AM
If you have a regular job away from home, you need to be somewhat careful of what you claim because miles to commute to and from your job can never be deducted. You will need to judiciously choose your battles on what you claim as mileage, but if it is a stop on the way to or from work, forget it.

If your only job is mystery shopping and you are working out of your home you can deduct your mileage door to door. You can do this as home to a, a to b, b to c and c to home. Or you can claim it as home to home. So, for example, I did 3 shops today one one route and then ran out to do a 4th shop later. My first trip was 26.4 miles and my second was 18.3. I put all the mileage for the first route with one shop and note that the other two were done on the same trip. The second trip out just has its own mileage. IRS is really more interested that you have some systematic and reasonable way of accounting for your mileage to be able to separate personal miles from business miles and commuting miles.
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June 09, 2010 05:23AM
Thanks Flash, that's what I thought, but thought it was best to double check.

You really are a fountain of knowledge.
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June 09, 2010 12:55PM
kh72,
What flash said, but also, log the miles that you use the car for personal use. When I have a day where I just run personal errands, I log that as well. Your record of mileage should be seamless and contemporary. The IRS must give "great deference" to written, seamless, contemporary records.

I also try to use "minor diversios" from shopper trips to do almost all of my personal banking, shopping etc. If you divert less that a mile or two from the shop route to run an errand, just note "bank stop enroute".

You do not need to deduct the diversion from your business miles!!!

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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June 09, 2010 01:18PM
Walesmaven- no need to log personal miles as they do not count....
IRS can see from your log when you stop and when you start. And a mile here and there .... good luck on an audit with that one!
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June 09, 2010 01:34PM
Obviously if IRS is out to nail you there are many, many ways they could do that. But a clean, ongoing record of mileage--whether it includes itemized personal miles or not--evidences 'businesslike' behavior. What would not fly with IRS is no records or records that would appear to have been created after the fact just to respond to an audit. If there is no indication of an intent to defraud the tax man you are unlikely to have problems regardless of the format or exact content of the records.
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June 09, 2010 04:40PM
I keep a log in the car, write down date, job, and miles. My accountant does the rest, but, I think you can claim rd. trip if you go and come back home.

Live consciously....
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