# Uber and lyft mileage



## AmyLee (Dec 12, 2017)

Can you combine mileage for the deduction or do you need uber and lyft mileage separately? Same for cellphone usages which seems tricky


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## surlywynch (Jun 22, 2017)

Lump it all together, you used the same car, right?


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## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

AmyLee said:


> Can you combine mileage for the deduction or do you need uber and lyft mileage separately? Same for cellphone usages which seems tricky


cell phone tricky though and I don't include it....they told me if audit happened it's going to be a tough sell to the IRS that your phone just business related. I myself will take the hit on not listing my 50 personal /50 business phone and not get the IRS RED FLAG


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

jgiun1 said:


> cell phone tricky though and I don't include it....they told me if audit happened it's going to be a tough sell to the IRS that your phone just business related. I myself will take the hit on not listing my 50 personal /50 business phone and not get the IRS RED FLAG


No worries if you have records and a reasonable argument as to how you arrived at the percentage assigned to business use.


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## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

Older Chauffeur said:


> No worries if you have records and a reasonable argument as to how you arrived at the percentage assigned to business use.


True, my post wasn't that you shouldn't claim, more like I choose not to include a 50/50 phone. A couple business and tax people told me not to unless you have a separate pure business phone to claim and prove. To each their own, I myself don't want IRS sniffing my ass for a three phone plan I pay for and use one phone half the time driving.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

jgiun1 said:


> True, my post wasn't that you shouldn't claim, more like I choose not to include a 50/50 phone. A couple business and tax people told me not to unless you have a separate pure business phone to claim and prove. To each their own, I myself don't want IRS sniffing my ass for a three phone plan I pay for and use one phone half the time driving.


Yep, I agree. Maybe the IRS will only audit one in 10,000 returns from ICs, but I don't want to be that one! When I had several clients and was working full time I claimed my phone and kept the detailed bills to back up the deduction. I don't bother now that I'm driving only two or three times a month on average.


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## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Yep, I agree. Maybe the IRS will only audit one in 10,000 returns from ICs, but I don't want to be that one! When I had several clients and was working full time I claimed my phone and kept the detailed bills to back up the deduction. I don't bother now that I'm driving only two or three times a month on average.


Lol.....same here dude.....lived my whole life and never an audit, and hopefully stays that way.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

AmyLee said:


> Can you combine mileage for the deduction or do you need uber and lyft mileage separately? Same for cellphone usages which seems tricky


Lump it all together...

they are just sources of business, not separate businesses.


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## Okphillip (Feb 6, 2017)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Yep, I agree. Maybe the IRS will only audit one in 10,000 returns from ICs, but I don't want to be that one! When I had several clients and was working full time I claimed my phone and kept the detailed bills to back up the deduction. I don't bother now that I'm driving only two or three times a month on average.


Don't be so scared of audit. Are you a drug king pin? No. You are an Uber driver. Even with an audit ( review by mail) they are going to bill you a few hundred dollars. Relax.


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