topic Deduction for bar membership in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Deduction for bar membership

Max Lightsey — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:11:04 GMT

I want to find out how to deduct fees I paid for state bar membership for my law license. Can you help me find out where I enter this information? Thanks.

Re: Deduction for bar membership

DavidD66 — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:19:52 GMT

If you are self-employed you would would report it with your business expenses on Schedule C. If you are a W-2 employee, it is not deductible.

Re: Deduction for bar membership

Opus 17 — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:40:14 GMT

You can't deduct the cost of education, training or certification to meet the minimum qualifications for your job, so if this was your first year, it's not deductible at all, even as a schedule C business expense. You can deduct the costs of maintaining or improving your skills, so membership renewal would be a deductible expense.

None of these expenses are deductible on your federal return if you are an employee/paid on a W-2.