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My self employed home office where I see clients was closed due to covid from March through the rest of 2020. During that time I collected PUA unemployment income and did not have any earned income. My business is still "in business" and is only closed temporarily. I still had the expenses of keeping a home office prepared for reopening at any time as soon as it felt safe. I don't know how to answer the question of "how many months did you use this office at least 15 days of the month"? It seems like it was 12. Any wisdom out there?
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You did not use the home office at all since March. Intention in not sufficient. You must actively use the office. Per the IRS:
1. Regular and Exclusive Use.
You must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business. For example, if you use an extra room to run your business, you can take a home office deduction for that extra room.
2. Principal Place of Your Business.
You must show that you use your home as your principal place of business. If you conduct business at a location outside of your home, but also use your home substantially and regularly to conduct business, you may qualify for a home office deduction. For example, if you have in-person meetings with patients, clients, or customers in your home in the normal course of your business, even though you also carry on business at another location, you can deduct your expenses for the part of your home used exclusively and regularly for business. You can deduct expenses for a separate free-standing structure, such as a studio, garage, or barn, if you use it exclusively and regularly for your business. The structure does not have to be your principal place of business or the only place where you meet patients, clients, or customers.
Generally, deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of your home devoted to business use. So, if you use a whole room or part of a room for conducting your business, you need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities.
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