# Do I have to keep track of Uber & Lyft mileage separately?



## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

Thx much


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## Just Another Uber Drive (Jul 15, 2015)

You should, but come tax time you will combine them.


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

I've been doing this since august. Only have written down mileage combined daily. But I'm missing a few days. Estimate?


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## DriverPsycho (Jul 27, 2016)

mnext02 said:


> I've been doing this since august. Only have written down mileage combined daily. But I'm missing a few days. Estimate?


 the Mile IQ app it registers every single trip u do n the best part is that u don't have to do nothing, not open it, no log in, no password, no bs, u just categorize the rides, swipe right business, swipe left personal, they send u a report weekly n monthly, u print the monthly n boom!!! Wuoala tax season it's in the near horizon


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## Billys Bones (Oct 2, 2016)

Yes definitely. Uber only provides the miles driven with PAX in vehicle. I don't know about Lyft. If you want all deductible business miles, and you do, then you need to track and log them yourself.

Edit: My bad. It's my understanding that you just track all business miles. You can do it in one combined log. No need for separate logs.


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

Thx


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

triplog


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## Jim Gowin (Sep 6, 2016)

Stride Drive seems to work good. Been using it for a few months. I turn it on the same time I go on line and it logs every mile driven with Uber app on. You can also put in you expenses (phone, water for pax, car washes, etc...).


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## Just Another Uber Drive (Jul 15, 2015)

mnext02 said:


> I've been doing this since august. Only have written down mileage combined daily. But I'm missing a few days. Estimate?


Yeah, just make an estimate. If audited we should have a daily log to show. I just write down the starting and ending odometer readings and the date and time.

As someone else pointed out, the mileage total Uber sends us only has the number of miles we drove with a pax in the car.


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## babyrocket223 (Apr 11, 2016)

No need I think, uber or lyft, it's still business expense.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

when you do your taxes, doesn't turbotax ask you to list them separately?
I think YES

check your TurboTax software


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## babyrocket223 (Apr 11, 2016)

I don't know, many people including myself usually online both app at the same time, and yeah sometime not. If that's the case how could we separate it?


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

ahhh, caught you double dipping on the mileage?


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

PTB said:


> when you do your taxes, doesn't turbotax ask you to list them separately?
> I think YES
> 
> check your TurboTax software


So which is it? I have no idea how many miles I drive for each. I drive both each day and I only keep track of total miles


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

PTB said:


> when you do your taxes, doesn't turbotax ask you to list them separately?
> I think YES
> 
> check your TurboTax software


Nope. I have used turbo tax for years, just a "business miles total" including all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips... lump it all together.

I use a old spiral note book, date, start odometer, ending odometer. simple.


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

LAuberX said:


> Nope. I have used turbo tax for years, just a "business miles total" including all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips... lump it all together.
> 
> I use a old spiral note book, date, start odometer, ending odometer. simple.


Sweet. Me too. Thanks. You rock.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Nope. I have used turbo tax for years, just a "business miles total" including all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips... lump it all together.
> 
> I use a old spiral note book, date, start odometer, ending odometer. simple.


well, you been doin it wrong for years shhhh
each employer has a unique/separate employer ID for filing your schedule C
each is handled as a separate business

I would advise doing research.
don't listen to bs comments on this site, check it out for yourself.

also, on deductions, it is either mileage or the other crap. mileage always outweighs the crap...candy, maintenance etc., NOT both


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

PTB said:


> well, you been doin it wrong for years shhhh
> each employer has a unique/separate employer ID for filing your schedule C
> each is handled as a separate business
> 
> ...


Oh no. Now I'm screwed.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

mnext02 said:


> Oh no. Now I'm screwed.


DO YOUR RESEARCH !


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

PTB said:


> well, you been doin it wrong for years shhhh
> each employer has a unique/separate employer ID for filing your schedule C
> each is handled as a separate business
> 
> ...


No, they are all handled as income and expenses for my ONE business, taxi/limousine category as driver. I have had other businesses in the past with multiple 1099's My products were used in a wide range of industries... same answer from my CPA whose tax returns I still use as a "basemap", lump all the mileage together.

I am only in ONE business, _I have multiple clients, _ the 1099's are all listed, then the sum total is used.

two returns are not done, one return is done. simple.

Turbo Tax home and business, log all your miles and the paltry sum earned from Uber will vanish.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

Schedule C, item D
so you got your own EIN number?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

No need for an "EIN". As a sole proprietor I use my social security number.... see the blank to the right of "proprietor" exactly for this reason? 

I don't need an EIN, I don't "employ" anybody, hence the category "sole proprietor".

I have actually done this for 2014 and 2015 as an Uber driver using turbo tax, have you?

first blank: My Name (it says "name of proprietor", that's me)
line A.: Taxi/Limosine service (no matter how many 1099's they are all the same business)
line C. blank. (it says to leave it blank if I don't have a business name)

Moving thread to forum "taxes" so more opinions can be gathered.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> No need, as a sole proprietor I use my social security number.... I have actually done this as an Uber driver using turbo tax, have you?


yes, been driving more than 2 years.
good luck on your audit


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## Just Another Uber Drive (Jul 15, 2015)

I used Schedule C per the 1040 instructions and wasn't audited.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

PTB said:


> yes, been driving more than 2 years.
> good luck on your audit


so you filed two returns?

Or said you ran two different businesses that are both "taxi/limosine"??

Help the OP out, please explain exactly how I am wrong.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Nope. I have used turbo tax for years, just a "business miles total" including all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips... lump it all together.
> 
> I use a old spiral note book, date, start odometer, ending odometer. simple.


so you deduct all of the above items?

I admit, looks like I am wrong on schedule C item D


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

Dang this is going to take a lot of time to figure out how many miles were Uber and how many were Lyft


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

"all the above" is one item. business miles.... not the costs incurred doing maintenance / washing.

"all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips" sorry for the confusion

I always take only the business mileage deduction as it wipes out all Uber/Lyft "income" easily.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

mnext02 said:


> Dang this is going to take a lot of time to figure out how many miles were Uber and how many were Lyft


No need. 
turn on app(s) write down odometer. you are now driving for "business"
done for the day/night? write down odometer. 
don't forget to check the car for items left behind, "find my phone" is a killer!
simple.

You are in the Taxi/Limosine category, you have multiple "clients" no need separate the mileage, you will see, use Turbo Tax Business this year.


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## PTB (Feb 3, 2015)

I filed two Schedule C's , one for Uber and one for Lyft, separate mileage.
Did not include the Deadmiles, as I did not keep track of them...., big mistake
This year I am using separate app to track Deadmiles and not working for Lyft any more.....so much easier.


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

LAuberX said:


> No need.
> turn on app(s) write down odometer. you are now driving for "business"
> done for the day/night? write down odometer.
> don't forget to check the car for items left behind, "find my phone" is a killer!
> ...


Sweet. Thanks.

And I don't need to put away 30% of my income to save for paying taxes cuz after mileage deduction, it will show I made zero money. Right?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

mnext02 said:


> Sweet. Thanks.
> 
> And I don't need to put away 30% of my income to save for paying taxes cuz after mileage deduction, it will show I made zero money. Right?


If you drive the dead miles I did, zero.

what is your gross so far? total miles so far?

It's easy to estimate tax liability, to figure adjusted gross income, use .54 per mile

If you got $8,000.00 from Uber but drove 15,000 miles your tax liability is zero. You have an $8,100.00 deduction from gross earnings.


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## mnext02 (Aug 2, 2016)

LAuberX said:


> If you drive the dead miles I did, zero.
> 
> what is your gross so far? total miles so far?
> 
> ...


Only been doing this 2 months. Income $2000
Miles 5000 x .54 = 2700


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

PTB said:


> well, you been doin it wrong for years shhhh
> each employer has a unique/separate employer ID for filing your schedule C
> each is handled as a separate business
> 
> ...


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

mnext02 said:


> Only been doing this 2 months. Income $2000
> Miles 5000 x .54 = 2700


It looks like you are currently at a net operating loss, so no taxes will be due from Uber/Lyft driving so far.... and it may help you get some money back from other tax withholding if you or your spouse had/have another job in 2016 that withheld taxes from your paycheck(s).


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## SweetAMGUberLyft (Oct 19, 2016)

If you drive a car solely for Uber/Lyft , can it not be as simple as Total Mileage? This car only leaves the house for Uber/Lyft usage.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

SweetAMGUberLyft said:


> If you drive a car solely for Uber/Lyft , can it not be as simple as Total Mileage? This car only leaves the house for Uber/Lyft usage.


IRS rules call for a contemporaneous record of odometer readings, date, and purpose of trip. The way I read it, this would apply even if a vehicle were dedicated to business use full time. But I'm not a tax pro, so bear that in mind.

If you know someone with a business like plumbing, electrical, carpet cleaning, construction, etc., ask him if he has to keep mileage records.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

SweetAMGUberLyft said:


> If you drive a car solely for Uber/Lyft , can it not be as simple as Total Mileage? This car only leaves the house for Uber/Lyft usage.


No, you need the mileage log to prove your claim that "This car only leaves the house for Uber/Lyft usage." You think their gonna take your word for that? Remember, when you're dealing with the IRS at the administrative level the burden of proof is on you the taxpayer. If you take the IRS to court the burden of proof shifts to the IRS but only if you have complied with all IRS requirements. One of those requirements is a mileage log for all business use of your vehicle. The fact (or claim) that you use your car 100% for business does not negate the mileage log requirement.


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Nope. I have used turbo tax for years, just a "business miles total" including all dead miles, maintenance runs, car wash trips... lump it all together.
> 
> I use a old spiral note book, date, start odometer, ending odometer. simple.


Can you get expense deduction if you do milage to.I have been doing both on sherpashare.But dont know if I will get both come tax time.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

KMANDERSON said:


> Can you get expense deduction if you do milage to.I have been doing both on sherpashare.But dont know if I will get both come tax time.


If by "expense deduction" you mean actual expenses, the answer is no. You have to choose either the standard mileage rate or actual expenses. Either way you need a record showing odometer readings of business use, which will help determine the portion of expenses allocated to business use. For example, if 75% of the miles are for business, you would take 75% of the total of all operating expenses for the car on Schedule C. But with the standard mileage rate for 2016 allowing a deduction of $0.54 per business use mile, including dead miles, it may be the better way to go. Does sherpashare track all your business miles?

Disclosure: I'm not a tax pro- just my opinion.


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

Older Chauffeur said:


> If by "expense deduction" you mean actual expenses, the answer is no. You have to choose either the standard mileage rate or actual expenses. Either way you need a record showing odometer readings of business use, which will help determine the portion of expenses allocated to business use. For example, if 75% of the miles are for business, you would take 75% of the total of all operating expenses for the car on Schedule C. But with the standard mileage rate for 2016 allowing a deduction of $0.54 per business use mile, including dead miles, it may be the better way to go. Does sherpashare track all your business miles?
> 
> Disclosure: I'm not a tax pro- just my opinion.


Sherpashare track all bussiness and personel.You can also label all trip uber,lyft,amanzon.etc


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