# All the tax deductions



## sthriftybroke (Aug 23, 2017)

As I was perusing these boards, I saw someone mention you could claim your lunch. I know I can claim part of my phone, but food too?

I currently keep a planner with miles, gas, and then a space for extras. Should I be recording any food/drinks I buy too?


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## sthriftybroke (Aug 23, 2017)

As a blogger, there are about a zillion things I can claim on my taxes, to the point where with my $300 blog income this year, I'll have like $1000 in deductions. 

Question: does anyone have an easy to read list of different things you can claim as a rideshare driver?


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

sthriftybroke said:


> As I was perusing these boards, I saw someone mention you could claim your lunch. I know I can claim part of my phone, but food too?
> 
> I currently keep a planner with miles, gas, and then a space for extras. Should I be recording any food/drinks I buy too?


Meals for yourself are only deductible when you travel for business and stay overnight, and then only 50% of the cost. Probably unlikely doing rideshare. See IRS Pub. 463 for details about that and vehicle expenses as well. If you supply water, mints, gum etc for pax you can deduct the cost.

Keeping track of your odometer readings at the beginning and end of each shift is important- what the IRS calls a contemporaneous mileage log. The Standard Mileage Rate covers the operating costs (gas, maintenance, tires, repairs, insurance etc) for business use of your car, which is probably the way to go for most rideshare operators. If you use actual expenses, you use the mileage log to determine the percentage of business use to list as a deduction, just as you do for your phone. It sounds like you are off to a good start.

Disclosure: I'm not a tax professional, but UberTaxPro is. He provides helpful advice if you search under Taxes for his posts.


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## Bazinga57 (Oct 2, 2017)

I'm a relatively new driver. So, when it's all said and done at the end of the year did you make any money? Do the deductions offset the taxes?


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

Bazinga57 said:


> I'm a relatively new driver. So, when it's all said and done at the end of the year did you make any money? Do the deductions offset the taxes?


That depends on what market you are in, Seattle- no way, Orlando- you'll be deeply DEEPLY negative.

What market you are in has a bigger impact on your tax bill than how much you make, or how many hours you drive.


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## Bazinga57 (Oct 2, 2017)

Chicago. Mostly burbs. Please excplan further.


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## GetHelpTax (Oct 12, 2017)

If you have to travel a far distance for each pick up it may not be the best business model.


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

Bazinga57 said:


> Chicago. Mostly burbs. Please excplan further.


Don't know enough about the Windy City to say with any certainty.

First of all, the per mile rate driver pay is based on varies from .71 to $1.65 a mile (in the us)

What you can deduct per mile is 53.5c per mile. It doesn't matter where you are that's what you can deduct in the US

That means that in taxable profit, it varies from 17.5c per mile or $1.02 per mile.

That's a 500% variation per paid mile in what you owe to the IRS.

Then you have to take unpaid miles into consideration.

Unpaid miles vary from 66% (Orlando) to under half (places like NYC)

To some people claiming as low as 1/4 miles are unaid.

Chicago uber rates pay rates are about the middle of the pay range per minute/mile.

Depending on how many empty miles you drive you may or may not owe in taxes.

Also how many promotions, surges and boosts you get in proprortion to the total number of miles you drive will have an impact on whether or not your deductions will exceed your income.

If you get and extra +$100 for driving 30 fares (or something like this) it will have a strong impact on how much you owe in taxes.

If a lot of your fares are surge fares, you will owe more in taxes. (Because your miles driven per dollar can fluctuate)

It's not about how much money you make, it's about how many miles you put in per dollar you make.

This ratio will change day to day, hour to hour...

I don't know enough about Chicago to say much of anything but...

Your tax bill will be higher than someone in Orlando.

So at the end of the day, all I can say for absolute certainty is...

$1.00 earned anywhere in the US will generate anywhere between negative -20c (a loss on paper) and 10c in tax owed to the IRS. When operating for uber/lyft.

I don't know enough about Chicagos unpaid/paid mileage rate, how many surges their are, and how many promotions you can expect to get.

And you won't *really* know until you are filing your taxes.

So honestly..

I have no idea if you will owe any taxes or not...


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## Jubin (Oct 16, 2017)

As far as I know, food is only for bike deliveries as long as you ride 8 hours or more in one day. Then you can claim $17/per day in Canada


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

Jubin said:


> As far as I know, food is only for bike deliveries as long as you ride 8 hours or more in one day. Then you can claim $17/per day in Canada


That's great! I know when I go for long bike rides my appetite goes to new level! We don't have that in the US unfortunately, it would be nice and would be good for the restaurant industry.


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