Why didnt my per diem help

[truckingman83]

I drive truck longhaul and I think I both calculated it properly and put it in the right spot

[AnnetteB · Accepted solution]

As an employee, you would use Form 2106 Unreimbursed Employee Expenses to claim your per diem and other expenses.  One important thing to know about Form 2106 is that you must also be using Schedule A and claiming itemized deductions (not the standard deduction) before it may affect the bottom line of your tax return.  This means that you could enter all the necessary information into your return to claim the expenses, but if you are using the standard deduction then your refund/balance due would not change. 

If you are not sure whether your return is using the standard deduction or itemized deductions, use these steps to check:

• On the top row of the TurboTax online screen, click on Search (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax locate the search box in the upper right corner)

• This opens a box where you can type in “itemized deductions, choosing” (be sure to enter exactly as shown here) and click the magnifying glass (or for CD/downloaded TurboTax, click Find)

• The search results will give you an option to “Jump to itemized deductions, choosing”

• Click on the blue “Jump to itemized deductions, choosing” link