I was paid non tax per diem rented a second home near job site. Can i claim travel expenses for travel to my home location on days off?

 
DanielV01
Expert Alumni

Deductions & credits

Yes, you will want to claim all of these expenses.  Even though you received a reimbursement from your employer, it may not have been at the Federal rate, which means that you may have extra deduction for the time you had to spend there.  You also may count the mileage to and from your home location as well.

Here are the deductions you are likely entitled to, according to Pub 463 from the IRS (click link for more information)

  1. CONUS rate per diem for your lodging.  See this website:  Per Diem Rates - GSA (you will enter where you were staying.  You will use 2016 for January to September and 2017 for October, November and December).  You are entitled to that amount for every night that you stayed in the work location away from home.
  2. CONUS rate per diem for your meals and incidentals.  You will enter the full amount into the Meals Box, and TurboTax will give you half of that amount (unless you are DOT, which has a different rate).  This is also calculated on the number of nights you stayed there.
  3. Mileage (or airfare, etc.) for travel to and from your home location.
  4. Any other deductible work expenses.

All of these expenses will be entered on Form 2106.  You will also enter the total amount of reimbursement you received.  (Nontaxable reimbursement does reduce the amount of deduction you may claim).  What is remaining is what may be claimed as deductible expenses, if you have enough to itemize.  Here is an FAQ on how to access Form 2106:  https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/4800418

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