# Mileage / Expense tracking app for tax purposes



## MyRideTrac

*7/12/16: Just released version 2.0 with Metric Support. Check it out here!*

Hi. My name is Ken.
I rolled MyRideTrac out in the US about 2 months ago. I drive rideshare and designed the app specifically for rideshare drivers. There have been requests to put a kilo/litre switch into the app for everyone else who is metric. I am testing the app now with metric support and was wondering if there are any folks in Australia who would like to be a beta tester. The app is iOS only at this point. If so, please email me at [email protected] and I will send you a note with the info I need to add you as a tester.



















Best,
Ken


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## MyRideTrac

MyRideTrac said:


> Hi. I was wondering if you get a mileage discount for driving for Rideshare?


Ok. I did some research for Australia and it looks like you get to write off your expenses prorated by business/personal miles. MyRideTrac will track your business miles (RIDER/NORIDER) and your PERSONAL miles. You can also log all of your expenses into V2.0 of the app (in test now). I have an analysis module in design that will do the proration of expenses. Hope this helps.


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## lui6155

Also can it log more that one car? (not at the same time of course) and remember KMS not miles as we are advanced here in OZ!!!


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## MyRideTrac

You are indeed advanced there in OZ. Yes... it is an undocumented feature, but it tracks miles and expenses for multiple vehicles. I drive two vehicles myself. I change the name of the vehicle in the SETTINGS screen. The spreadsheet you receive should have all mileage and expenses tagged to a vehicle name. Version 2.0 tracks KMS/Litres. It is for iOS only right now...

If you would like to be a beta tester, please send me a note at [email protected] and I will send you a note with the info I need.


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## LevelX

MyRideTrac said:


> and was wondering if there are any folks in Australia who would like to be a tester


I'm interested.....



MyRideTrac said:


> The app is iOS only at this point


Oh... that counts me out.



MyRideTrac said:


> ok. I did some research for Australia and it looks like you get to write off your expenses prorated by business/personal miles.


Correct, its a % write off based on how much is 'work' use. ie 70/30 split etc, so this app will be handy.



MyRideTrac said:


> MyRideTrac will track your business miles


Do you have a info page somewhere that explains the app and how it does this? Is it a log book entry app, or does it use the GPS to track kms etc?



MyRideTrac said:


> There have been requests to put a kilo/litre switch into the app for everyone else who is metric


Errr you basically mean anyone who isn't in the USA..... All the places that use metric are shown in green. Heck even the USA army/air force use metric. Why not everyone else in the USA?


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## PhantomDriver

MyRideTrac said:


> ok. I did some research for Australia and it looks like you get to write off your expenses prorated by business/personal miles. MyRideTrac will track your business miles (RIDER/NORIDER) and your PERSONAL miles. You can also log all of your expenses into V2.0 of the app (in test now). I have an analysis module in design that will do the proration of expenses. Hope this helps.


Not sure what responses you will get but most drivers took on this gig with initial enthusiasm and due to the ongoing reduction in rates paid to drivers here that enthusiasm has been eroded to a point where most would have an exit plan right now and would not have any surplus dollars to invest further in any form or shape


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## MyRideTrac

Thanks for your questions. 
_Do you have a info page somewhere that explains the app and how it does this? Is it a log book entry app, or does it use the GPS to track kms etc?_
*MRT: The app uses GPS to track kms in the background. It then creates a spreadsheet with name, vehicle name, startdate/time, enddate/time, kms driven, calculated deduction (you can set this to zero for locations that don't have a per/km deduction). 
You log your expenses into the app and it prints them into the same spreadsheet. You can filter or pivot table the results. *

_ Errr you basically mean anyone who isn't in the USA..... All the places that use metric are shown in green. Heck even the USA army/air force use metric. Why not everyone else in the USA?
_
*MRT*_: _*Yeah... I know, but it was developed in the US first and tested in the US. Just was practical to do it that way. *


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## Instyle

Hi MyRideTrac Australia drivers can claim a flat rate p/km deduction up to a maximum of 5000km

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/...aim/Vehicle-and-travel-expenses/Car-expenses/


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## MyRideTrac

Thanks Instyle for the link. MyRideTrac will work both ways (cents/km and logbook) for AU. When you use the SEND REPORT function in V2.0 of the app, it essentially is sending you a log book that records your mileage as well as the expenses you log into the app. Just trying to make your day a bit easier.


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## danieljf

Instyle said:


> Hi MyRideTrac Australia drivers can claim a flat rate p/km deduction up to a maximum of 5000km
> 
> https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/...aim/Vehicle-and-travel-expenses/Car-expenses/


Just to confirm, we can claim 66c per kilometre up to 5000km for the whole tax year? So essentially, we can all claim $3300 if we have driven over 5000km for Uber?


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## LevelX

danieljf said:


> Just to confirm, we can claim 66c per kilometre up to 5000km for the whole tax year? So essentially, we can all claim $3300 if we have driven over 5000km for Uber?


Correct..... BUT that flat rate claim, means you forgo claiming rego/insurance/fuel/car maintenance costs etc. You still need a log book to claim to show the business kms being claimed either way.

Its basically a nice and easy way for standard tax people who only travel a short distance a year for 'business' to claim the kms. Otherwise they would have to add up all the car costs and only claim say 2% of them etc. Lots of work for little gain.

So its one *OR* the other method.

So if you only started driving this year, you might be better to claim the flat rate, than the the prorate rate.


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## danieljf

LevelX said:


> Correct..... BUT that flat rate claim, means you forgo claiming rego/insurance/fuel/car maintenance costs etc. You still need a log book to claim to show the business kms being claimed either way.
> 
> Its basically a nice and easy way for standard tax people who only travel a short distance a year for 'business' to claim the kms. Otherwise they would have to add up all the car costs and only claim say 2% of them etc. Lots of work for little gain.
> 
> So its one *OR* the other method.
> 
> So if you only started driving this year, you might be better to claim the flat rate, than the the prorate rate.


Thanks for the info. I'm typically quite good with this stuff but a little confused on this. I have been driving since Sept 2015 and for most of it part-time. I have driven way over 5000km. Are you saying that I can only claim 60c x 5000 and claim no other expenses or claim expenses that could amount to more than 60c x 5000 and then not claim the km allowance?


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## danieljf

I guess I'm just after Lehman terms. I have insurance/rego/fuel/car maintenance to claim as well.


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## LevelX

danieljf said:


> but a little confused on this


Might be time to talk to a accountant, don't go solely on strangers on the internet!



danieljf said:


> Are you saying that I can only claim 60c x 5000 and claim no other expenses


Correct, if you claim the km 60c rate, then NO other CAR EXPENSES, like Rego/insurance/main etc can be claimed.



danieljf said:


> claim expenses that could amount to more than 60c x 5000 and then not claim the km allowance?


Correct. but this method, you add up all expenses (rego, insurance, fuel, main etc), then work out your %of business use ie you did 50,000kms and of that 25,000kms was for Uber. Your business % is 50%. So you can then claim 50% of your expenses as a deduction. This is what you claim.

As I said, its ONE method *OR *the other method.

The up to 5000kms method is for people who don't travel much. The 60c/km deduction is to cover *all* costs of running the car. Its for people who do the odd work trip and can claim the kms. This method saves them keeping a log bog for the entire year, and then working out the business % and adding up all expenses etc and doing a deduction that way. They only need to keep a log book for the times they drive for work.

So basically, you can get $3000 tax deduction write off, via the 5000kms method, which may be better off for some people, even if you travelled 6-7000kms for the year, depending on your business usage % and the amount you spent etc.


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## danieljf

LevelX said:


> Might be time to talk to a accountant, don't go solely on strangers on the internet!
> 
> Correct, if you claim the km 60c rate, then NO other CAR EXPENSES, like Rego/insurance/main etc can be claimed.
> 
> Correct. but this method, you add up all expenses (rego, insurance, fuel, main etc), then work out your %of business use ie you did 50,000kms and of that 25,000kms was for Uber. Your business % is 50%. So you can then claim 50% of your expenses as a deduction. This is what you claim.
> 
> As I said, its ONE method *OR *the other method.
> 
> The up to 5000kms method is for people who don't travel much. The 60c/km deduction is to cover *all* costs of running the car. Its for people who do the odd work trip and can claim the kms. This method saves them keeping a log bog for the entire year, and then working out the business % and adding up all expenses etc and doing a deduction that way. They only need to keep a log book for the times they drive for work.
> 
> So basically, you can get $3000 tax deduction write off, via the 5000kms method, which may be better off for some people, even if you travelled 6-7000kms for the year, depending on your business usage % and the amount you spent etc.


Yes, I'll be seeing an accountant, just any opportunity that I can gain knowledge I will take up. I appreciate you giving me this information.

Do you know how much of rego/insurance/fuel/maintenance etc. we can claim? Is it a certain amount per dollar or a percentage? Am I right to think that claiming a portion of those costs could outweigh the 60c/km method (most likely the case for me as I've probably driver about 15000km).


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## LevelX

danieljf said:


> Do you know how much of rego/insurance/fuel/maintenance etc. we can claim?


As I said, its a % of the business KMs you do vs personal ones.

So if you did 50,000kms in your car last year, and 25,000kms was for 'business'. Then you can claim 50% of the cost.



danieljf said:


> Am I right to think that claiming a portion of those costs could outweigh the 60c/km method (most likely the case for me as I've probably driver about 15000km).


the 60c/km @ 5000kms will give you a $3k deduction. So yes, going down the business % claim path might be better.

If you have done 15,000kms for Business, you need to know how many you did in the year total. If you travelled 20,000km in the year, then you can write off 75% of the rego/insurance/fuel/maintenance costs as a deduction, which will most likely be more than $3000.

If you did 60,000kms in the year, then its only 25% write off etc.


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## danieljf

LevelX said:


> As I said, its a % of the business KMs you do vs personal ones.
> 
> So if you did 50,000kms in your car last year, and 25,000kms was for 'business'. Then you can claim 50% of the cost.
> 
> the 60c/km @ 5000kms will give you a $3k deduction. So yes, going down the business % claim path might be better.
> 
> If you have done 15,000kms for Business, you need to know how many you did in the year total. If you travelled 20,000km in the year, then you can write off 75% of the rego/insurance/fuel/maintenance costs as a deduction, which will most likely be more than $3000.
> 
> If you did 60,000kms in the year, then its only 25% write off etc.


Thanks mate, that's a lot of help. Sometimes doing your own tax seems quite easy and then other times it doesn't!


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## MyRideTrac

Hi all. Still looking for one more iPhone tester for MyRideTrac in Canada. Let me know if you are interested. Send a note to [email protected]

Ken


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## LevelX

MyRideTrac said:


> Hi all. Still looking for one more iPhone tester for MyRideTrac in Canada. Let me know if you are interested. Send a note to [email protected]
> 
> Ken


Could be a problem Ken, as this is a Australian area. Not too many Canadian users hang out here!


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## MyRideTrac

Well Shoot! Can you forward this note to all of your Canadian friends! Thanks for the heads up. And... you are welcome to test MyRideTrac if you wish in AU. 

Ken


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## LevelX

Yeah happens to the best of them 

Let us know if you get a android app out on the market though, happy to test that!


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## Ash-the-Uber

MyRideTrac said:


> Well Shoot! Can you forward this note to all of your Canadian friends! Thanks for the heads up. And... you are welcome to test MyRideTrac if you wish in AU.
> 
> Ken


Hi Ken, if you are still looking for AU testers I am interested


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## MyRideTrac

Just had an AU tester drop out... If anyone is interested, please send me a note at [email protected] and I will send you more info. MyRideTrac helps you track mileage and expenses for tax purposes. This version being tested accomodates metric (KM/LT) and tracks all expenses. You can see more at MyRideTrac.com


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## MyRideTrac

Still looking for testers in Australia. Please send a note to [email protected]

Cheers.


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## MyRideTrac

Just Released version 2.0 of MyRideTrac. In this version, we have added the following new features:

Dual Switch Metric support for the world. It works in the U.K. too! 
Ability to track ALL of your expenses using an easy to use screen.
Elapsed time added to SEND REPORT spreadsheet file. Total your elapsed time or total by category using filters (for example, see how much time you are driving in NORIDER (empty) mode. 
Local Currency symbol and format support (of course!)
See a quick overview video here: 




Go to www.MyRideTrac.com to see more.

Thank you to all of the Australian testing crew who helped make sure the app was working!

Ken


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## HBG

I would help test this, but the link only came up for itunes. :-( 
Will this be available for Android?


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## MyRideTrac

I received word that the video links on the help pages were non-responsive. It turns out that the iPhone doesn't really like links in PDFs... The new pages should be a bit more responsive. Thanks for the feedback!


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## MyRideTrac

Good question from the technology forum. Yes, you can add mileage and expenses from previous trips (made before downloading MyRideTrac) by adding rows to the spreadsheet that is attached to the email when you use the SEND REPORT feature. Google Docs or Excel work best. The spreadsheet is your log and you can add rows for previous mileage and expenses.


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