# Do you claim home office for Uber?



## daveinsandiego

Has anybody claimed their home office when doing your taxes? I got a question on turbotax.

I'm using turbotax home and business and came across 2 questions when doing my taxes:

1. Do you use this part of your home exclusively for this business? (can't be used for paying bills, other businesses, place for kids to do their homework, etc.). I answered no. It's my desk and Uber isn't the only thing I do at my desk.

2. Do you use this home office on a regular basis for this business? This means that the office has to be used on a continuing basis. I'm not sure what this (continuing) means. I check my trip summaries, record my trips, record my earnings, record my expenses, etc. on a weekly basis. I wouldn't say that I do this daily or full time, but if I'm driving, I'm logging all this info several times each week. I sure as hell don't do this in my car.

Would you consider the use of your home office for Uber to be on a regular basis?


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## daveinsandiego

Looks like you need to answer both questions with YES to qualify for deduction.


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## Uzcaliber

I have E-filed my Turbotax and has been accepted by IRS. I answered "NO".


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## IndyDriver

I saw somewhere that the IRS has gotten much more vigilant on people abusing the home office deductions. I did not claim it. Pretty sure you have to be able to answer yes to question 1.


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## Tristan Zier

daveinsandiego said:


> Has anybody claimed their home office when doing your taxes? I got a question on turbotax.
> 
> I'm using turbotax home and business and came across 2 questions when doing my taxes:
> 
> 1. Do you use this part of your home exclusively for this business? (can't be used for paying bills, other businesses, place for kids to do their homework, etc.). I answered no. It's my desk and Uber isn't the only thing I do at my desk.
> 
> 2. Do you use this home office on a regular basis for this business? This means that the office has to be used on a continuing basis. I'm not sure what this (continuing) means. I check my trip summaries, record my trips, record my earnings, record my expenses, etc. on a weekly basis. I wouldn't say that I do this daily or full time, but if I'm driving, I'm logging all this info several times each week. I sure as hell don't do this in my car.
> 
> Would you consider the use of your home office for Uber to be on a regular basis?


Former CPA here. You are not allowed to claim a home office deduction if you're an Uber driver. Your home office is not your regular place of business (since most of business is conducted in your car, etc.).


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## andyblu

Home office = Huge red flag for IRS - Not worth it !!


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## Driveronedge

daveinsandiego said:


> Has anybody claimed their home office when doing your taxes? I got a question on turbotax.
> 
> I'm using turbotax home and business and came across 2 questions when doing my taxes:
> 
> 1. Do you use this part of your home exclusively for this business? (can't be used for paying bills, other businesses, place for kids to do their homework, etc.). I answered no. It's my desk and Uber isn't the only thing I do at my desk.
> 
> 2. Do you use this home office on a regular basis for this business? This means that the office has to be used on a continuing basis. I'm not sure what this (continuing) means. I check my trip summaries, record my trips, record my earnings, record my expenses, etc. on a weekly basis. I wouldn't say that I do this daily or full time, but if I'm driving, I'm logging all this info several times each week. I sure as hell don't do this in my car.
> 
> Would you consider the use of your home office for Uber to be on a regular basis?


Not unless you'd like to be audited. Big NO.


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## makinthemagic

No to the home office.


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## StarzykCPA

Tristan Zier said:


> Former CPA here. You are not allowed to claim a home office deduction if you're an Uber driver. Your home office is not your regular place of business (since most of business is conducted in your car, etc.).


Agreed. It is not appropriate for Uber drivers for the reasons stated above.

Whether or not the home office deduction raises red flags or increases your chance of being audited should not influence your decision. If you truly have a home office, then go ahead and deduct it and be able to support it later on. But it's pretty safe to say it's just not for rideshare drivers.


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## Nuber driver

It's hardly worth it but you could use the safe harbor home office rule, claim up to 300 sq feet in the home at $5 per sq foot with no recapture. If you have an office den and use that to do your taxes, itemize mileage, figure out taxes, expenses, maintenance, etc. and referrals as well as internet research on how to be a better driver and make any attempts to expand your clients through the use of other ride share or pre-arranged client travel than you could probably do this without any red flags. Find out the square footage of the room you do your work in and try (dont over estimate the room, most people just use a 10x10 room and get a simple and fairly Non-red-flag waving $500 deduction.


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## Joe Falcone

IndyDriver said:


> I saw somewhere that the IRS has gotten much more vigilant on people abusing the home office deductions. I did not claim it. Pretty sure you have to be able to answer yes to question 1.


I've always been told a home office is kind of a "red flag" deduction, I imagine since a good amount of people claim
this who don't always truly qualify. (according to their rigid rules)


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