topic Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates in Deductions & credits

Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

Megan96 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:16:58 GMT

Alrighty so last year I worked from home the whole time I worked for the company and I had a home office. It asks me to add in my rent, utilities, maintenance costs, etc for the whole home in order to determine if there is a deduction for my home office. So I have two questions. Do I enter the amount as an average monthly or as a total for the year? Also, I had 3 roommates for part of the year and had 1 roommate for the latter part of the year. Would I only put in there what I personally paid or the entire cost of everything regardless of who paid it? We split the rent and utilities evenly so my portion was significantly less than the full amount.

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

Jimi1970 — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 23:17:46 GMT

At the end of the year did you receive from "the company" a Form W-2 or a Form 1099-NEC? If you received a W-2 you were an employee and you cannot deduct unreimbursed employee expenses, including home office expenses.

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

fanfare — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 23:18:19 GMT

try using the square footage rule for office space deduction.

It is called the simplified method.

@Megan96

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

Megan96 — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 01:59:53 GMT

@fanfare I used the square footage rule in the square footage section. But it also asks me for the cost of my rent, utilities, etc

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

Megan96 — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:02:42 GMT

@Jimi1970 I received a W2 but it is still promoting me to deduct home office expenses.

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

fanfare — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:23:16 GMT

If you use the simplified method, Part II (rent, utilities etc) would be skipped.

That's the point of it.

perhaps you did not elect the simplified method.

@Megan96

Re: Home Office Expenses w/ Roommates

Megan96 — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 02:25:40 GMT

@fanfare it's possible. I'll look into it tomorrow