Mileage, deduction, military, out-of-state

[lynze6834]

My husband travels over 1,000 miles a month just to go to his National Guard unit or the weekend. We were told that we should be able to get a tax deduction for it as it was a business related cost that couldn't be avoided. Can someone please help me file for this? Every time I enter the information, it says that we do not qualify.

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

Military reserve travel expenses are an adjustment to income and are not an itemized deduction subject to the 2% AGI limitation.  The military reserve expenses reduce your AGI.  To enter your military reserve travel expenses, go to the Job-Related section in Deductions and Credits.

• Click on Federal Taxes
• Click on Deductions and Credits
• Click on I'll choose what I work on (if shown)
• Scroll down to Employment Expenses
• On Job-Related Expenses, click the start or update button

Or enter job expenses, employee in the Search box located in the upper right of the program screen.  Click on Jump to job expenses, employee

Continue through the interview and answer the questions about vehicle expenses and other expenses related to your military reserve travel expenses.  The interview will come to a screen that states Any Special Situations? Listed will be An Armed Forces Reservist and click on Yes

The next screen will have a field to enter your total expenses for the reserve travel.  Use the amount shown in the statement "You reported $xxx in job-related expenses for 2016."  Continue with the section until completed.