Hello @NurseJoan! The number of people who work from home exploded in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people will be able to take a tax deduction for their home office expenses, but many will not. The law changed in 2018 and eliminated the home office deduction for people who work for an employer. You can only qualify for the home office deduction now if you're self-employed. You're not eligible if you're an employee, even if you've been working remotely and had to set up an office in your home.
However, you may be eligible for the home office deduction if you have any income from self-employment – whether you're a freelancer or had a side gig last year, if you are starting your own business, or even if you did self-employed consulting work for a few months between jobs. Your home office must also meet certain standards to be eligible. To qualify for the home office deduction, you must use part of your home "regularly and exclusively" for business. Your office doesn't need to be in a separate room, but it has to be in an area of your home where you don't do anything else. It can be a dedicated nook in the corner of your basement, for example, but it can't be the kitchen table where your family also eats.
Here is a good link that gets more in detail about the Home Office Deduction: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/small-business-taxes/the-home-office-deduction/L1RZyYxzv
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