# Taking rides on way to full time job



## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

Hello all! I have a question. I work near an airport 40 miles away from my house. On occasion, I log on toe Uber an hour so early. On occasions, I have taken a trip to the airport and dropped a passenger off and then drove the rest of the way to my full time job. What I be able to claim the mileage to the airport for business expenses or would the IRS consider that personal since I drive only a short distance to full time job after dropping off passenger. Similarly, if I drove to the airport after getting off full time job, would I be able to claim picking someone up from the airport and driving them toward my house as business mileage?

Thanks in advance,
Mike


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

mk5197 said:


> Hello all! I have a question. I work near an airport 40 miles away from my house. On occasion, I log on toe Uber an hour so early. On occasions, I have taken a trip to the airport and dropped a passenger off and then drove the rest of the way to my full time job. What I be able to claim the mileage to the airport for business expenses or would the IRS consider that personal since I drive only a short distance to full time job after dropping off passenger. Similarly, if I drove to the airport after getting off full time job, would I be able to claim picking someone up from the airport and driving them toward my house as business mileage?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Mike


Yes and Yes! All business miles are deductible.


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

mk5197 said:


> Hello all! I have a question. I work near an airport 40 miles away from my house. On occasion, I log on toe Uber an hour so early. On occasions, I have taken a trip to the airport and dropped a passenger off and then drove the rest of the way to my full time job. What I be able to claim the mileage to the airport for business expenses or would the IRS consider that personal since I drive only a short distance to full time job after dropping off passenger. Similarly, if I drove to the airport after getting off full time job, would I be able to claim picking someone up from the airport and driving them toward my house as business mileage?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Mike


If you turn your app on and set your destination filter for either home or work, you can declare all those miles as a deduction whether you pick someone up or not. Just make sure that you keep an accurate log of your beginning and ending mileage while you're doing so.


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

Thanks so much for your answers! Another question, how would the IRS know if your app was on or not?


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

mk5197 said:


> Thanks so much for your answers! Another question, how would the IRS know if your app was on or not?


You need to either keep a written log, or use an app like MileIQ that automatically keeps track of your mileage while the app is on.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

mk5197 said:


> Thanks so much for your answers! Another question, how would the IRS know if your app was on or not?


They probably can't but when you're dealing with the IRS at the administrative level the burden of proof is on you not the IRS. Sometimes people think that if the IRS can't prove something they won't be able to collect. Not true, the burden of proof is with you.


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

UberTaxPro said:


> They probably can't but when you're dealing with the IRS at the administrative level the burden of proof is on you not the IRS. Sometimes people think that if the IRS can't prove something they won't be able to collect. Not true, the burden of proof is with you.


Ugh I wish I would have known the Uber app being on before now...no clue what to do now because I assumed as long as you got a ride at some point from point A to point B it would be ok


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

I do Triplog but manually


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

This thing about having to have Uber Driver on seems nuts if you are driving from say downtown Indianapolis to a few miles away with Uber Driver off and then turn it on and cant claim the whole way mileage especially if you get another ride at point B. I can't see how all those miles could not be claimed. And if not is there a link that says they can't?


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

mk5197 said:


> This thing about having to have Uber Driver on seems nuts if you are driving from say downtown Indianapolis to a few miles away with Uber Driver off and then turn it on and cant claim the whole way mileage especially if you get another ride at point B. I can't see how all those miles could not be claimed. And if not is there a link that says they can't?


I'm not a tax pro, but the way I understand it, it's because the IRS doesn't allow regular employees to deduct their miles accrued commuting to their jobs. In ridesharing, considered to be self employment, the app has to be on in order for you to do business, and thus able to claim business miles. Google "IRS business mileage rules" or something similar.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

There is no rule or regulation about having your app on to deduct mileage. Any "business miles" you drive are deductible. From the horses mouth..."To be deductible, a business expense must be both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your trade or business. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your trade or business. An expense does not have to be indispensable to be considered necessary." So the question from the IRS's viewpoint is are your miles both ordinary and necessary for your business? As the burden of proof is on the taxpayer, you'll loose the argument immediately if you don't have full documentation of your expenses. If you have a mileage log that you keep each working day you'll be in a position to at least argue your case if you're challenged. Without a mileage log you're words will fall on deaf IRS ears.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

UberTaxPro, wouldn't keeping the app on reinforce his claim to be working on his way to work?


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

mk5197 said:


> Hello all! I have a question. I work near an airport 40 miles away from my house. On occasion, I log on toe Uber an hour so early. On occasions, I have taken a trip to the airport and dropped a passenger off and then drove the rest of the way to my full time job. What I be able to claim the mileage to the airport for business expenses or would the IRS consider that personal since I drive only a short distance to full time job after dropping off passenger. Similarly, if I drove to the airport after getting off full time job, would I be able to claim picking someone up from the airport and driving them toward my house as business mileage?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Mike


App was on,passenger in car,it was official Uber business.
Do you drive Uber at other times besides your commute ?


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> There is no rule or regulation about having your app on to deduct mileage. Any "business miles" you drive are deductible. From the horses mouth..."To be deductible, a business expense must be both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your trade or business. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your trade or business. An expense does not have to be indispensable to be considered necessary." So the question from the IRS's viewpoint is are your miles both ordinary and necessary for your business? As the burden of proof is on the taxpayer, you'll loose the argument immediately if you don't have full documentation of your expenses. If you have a mileage log that you keep each working day you'll be in a position to at least argue your case if you're challenged. Without a mileage log you're words will fall on deaf IRS ears.


I commute 100 miles round trip( to and from) to drive Uber. Can I claim these miles ($54.00) ???


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> They probably can't but when you're dealing with the IRS at the administrative level the burden of proof is on you not the IRS. Sometimes people think that if the IRS can't prove something they won't be able to collect. Not true, the burden of proof is with you.


The app shows hours and minutes worked per day.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> They probably can't but when you're dealing with the IRS at the administrative level the burden of proof is on you not the IRS. Sometimes people think that if the IRS can't prove something they won't be able to collect. Not true, the burden of proof is with you.


I know that's right.
I got a bill for stock sold as if it fell out the sky cost free into my lap,because I had trouble doccenting what I paid for it.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> I commute 100 miles round trip( to and from) to drive Uber. Can I claim these miles ($54.00) ???


Are they ordinary and necessary?


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> The app shows hours and minutes worked per day.


Yep, might be good back up secondary proof, or a way to help reconstruct a mileage log but it won't replace a mileage log. With the IRS it's their way or the highway!


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Older Chauffeur said:


> UberTaxPro, wouldn't keeping the app on reinforce his claim to be working on his way to work?


Yes, but it won't replace a mileage log and if you have the mileage log you probably won't need it! If the validity of your mileage log was being questioned it could be very useful in supporting your log, but it could also show your mileage log to be inaccurate or worse....not kept contemporaneously!


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

I do have a mileage log. I live NE of downtown Indy in suburbs. If I get a ride from near me to downtown, many times after I drop a passenger off (not always), I head back toward my home for a little while with Uber app off. Then once I get closer, I turn it back on, because downtown tends to be shorter trips and some areas are not great etc. So I typically get pinged for a ride toward my home and oft times it is back to downtown Indy and so on and so forth. I claim mileage the whole way from dropoff to new ride regardless of how long I had app on, afterall I am still picking someone up.


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## rghy2 (Sep 20, 2016)

I'm doing the same thing. I live 40 miles away from my main job that I commute between a few times a week. Now I log in with the destination filter each time I make that drive and it's an automatic $20 tax deduction each way. I'm keeping a mileage log, and so far I've had at least one pax each time. The tax deduction may actually wind up being more useful to me than the actual income from driving uber.


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## yojimboguy (Mar 2, 2016)

SibeRescueBrian said:


> ... or use an app like MileIQ that automatically keeps track of your mileage while the app is on.


Which app is on? MileIQ or Uber? I'm looking to replace my mileage tracker, and the MileIQ website doesn't say anything about monitoring the status if the Uber app.


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## Sueron (Sep 16, 2016)

After all these questions, I feel good. From the second I start my car, till I turn it off at night, 100% is business. Wife has her own car, and I have a truck. Fill up Uber car every day, with recorded mileage. Also keep receipts of food while working away from home. "Being able to write off the cost of food and drink while traveling or meeting with clients is a huge perk for business owners. You should be careful, though, because the IRS rules related to meal deductions are complicated. Meals purchased while traveling or to entertain clients are generally 50 percent deductible, while food purchased for the benefit of employees can be fully deductible".... from Quickbooks!


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Sueron said:


> After all these questions, I feel good. From the second I start my car, till I turn it off at night, 100% is business. Wife has her own car, and I have a truck. Fill up Uber car every day, with recorded mileage. Also keep receipts of food while working away from home. "Being able to write off the cost of food and drink while traveling or meeting with clients is a huge perk for business owners. You should be careful, though, because the IRS rules related to meal deductions are complicated. Meals purchased while traveling or to entertain clients are generally 50 percent deductible, while food purchased for the benefit of employees can be fully deductible".... from Quickbooks!


Generally, IIRC, the IRS allows you to deduct the cost of meals and accomodations when you are away from home overnight. They don't allow deductions for meals while you are working like grabbing a burger in between Uber trips. If you pay for a client's meal along with your own, I believe you need to record the date and purpose of the meeting with the client.

Recording the odometer when filling the tank may support your record keeping, but you still need the odometer readings at the beginning and end of each shift, along with the date and business purpose of those miles- what the IRS calls a "contemporaneous mileage log."

Disclosure: I'm not a tax pro, so the opinions I offer are just that.


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## Sueron (Sep 16, 2016)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Generally, IIRC, the IRS allows you to deduct the cost of meals and accomodations when you are away from home overnight. They don't allow deductions for meals while you are working like grabbing a burger in between Uber trips. If you pay for a client's meal along with your own, I believe you need to record the date and purpose of the meeting with the client. (GOOD TO KNOW)
> 
> Recording the odometer when filling the tank may support your record keeping, but you still need the odometer readings at the beginning and end of each shift, along with the date and business purpose of those miles- what the IRS calls a "contemporaneous mileage log." (FILL UP TANK EVERY MORNING, auto used 100% for Uber)
> 
> Disclosure: I'm not a tax pro, so the opinions I offer are just that.


 GOOD INFORMATION. THANK YOU.


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

What is the destination filter that some of you are talking about? Is it part of the Uber app? Google Maps? TripIQ or what? Thanks!


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## NachonCheeze (Sep 8, 2015)

mk5197 said:


> What is the destination filter that some of you are talking about? Is it part of the Uber app? Google Maps? TripIQ or what? Thanks!


Uber App... It was/is being rolled out and may not be in your area


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## mk5197 (Oct 15, 2016)

Ah no wonder, wish we had it and thanks so much!


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## appsmartvn (Nov 17, 2016)

Thanks so much for your


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