# Tax Deductible - Food/lunch/dinner



## Lee Norman

While in between fares, are the meals I stop and buy, tax deductible ? I watched a YouTube video where a long-term Uber driver advised that I/we should keep our receipts when eating out.


----------



## UberTaxPro

Lee Norman said:


> While in between fares, are the meals I stop and buy, tax deductible ? I watched a YouTube video where a long-term Uber driver advised that I/we should keep our receipts when eating out.


Meals are only deductible if your traveling out of town on a business trip. To qualify as a business trip, the period of time must be substantially longer than a day's work and you need to rest or sleep while away. Even if it's a qualified business trip only 50% of the cost of meals are deductible. 
So generally speaking an Uber driver's meals are not deductible.


----------



## tohunt4me

UberTaxPro said:


> Meals are only deductible if your traveling out of town on a business trip. To qualify as a business trip, the period of time must be substantially longer than a day's work and you need to rest or sleep while away. Even if it's a qualified business trip only 50% of the cost of meals are deductible.
> So generally speaking an Uber driver's meals are not deductible.


What if I rent a room in another city or set up an apartment there to work Uber from ?


----------



## tohunt4me

Since I am " a subcontractor " , can I pay myself tax free per diem living expenses ?


----------



## UberTaxPro

tohunt4me said:


> What if I rent a room in another city or set up an apartment there to work Uber from ?


Nope, you might have some "moving expenses"


----------



## UberTaxPro

tohunt4me said:


> Since I am " a subcontractor " , can I pay myself tax free per diem living expenses ?


tax free? never! You could form an entity of some sort (LLC, corp, etc...) and reimburse yourself "tax free" for mileage at the standard mileage rate and other expenses.


----------



## tohunt4me

Well , when I work plants ,and shipyards, I am often paid a separate tax free per diem check for living expenses.
The govt. Only allows this nowadays when the job is over 50 miles from home.

On one recent job, I was paid $70.00 a day , and a free $90.00 a day hotel room.
$490.00 a week per diem.


----------



## UberTaxPro

tohunt4me said:


> Well , when I work plants ,and shipyards, I am often paid a separate tax free per diem check for living expenses.
> The govt. Only allows this nowadays when the job is over 50 miles from home.


Yes it's called "temporary work location" to the IRS as long as it doesn't last more than 1 year. If you weren't reimbursed you'd be able to deduct living expenses.


----------



## tohunt4me

So , I can do that with Uber ?


----------



## UberTaxPro

tohunt4me said:


> So , I can do that with Uber ?


nope, your a sole proprietor not an employee.


----------

