topic Re: Lodging in Self employed

Lodging

Rodneylee — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:24:11 GMT

My wife is self-employed. We live in a separate town then she works. She works 3 and half hours away from our home. She spends a week to two weeks there before coming home. We rent an office there and pay a mortgage there on a small house where she stays while she is there. Is this house mortgage and expenses deductible?

Re: Lodging

Cynthiad66 — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:43:52 GMT

Yes. Mortgage interest paid on a second residence used personally is deductible as long as the mortgage satisfies the same requirements for deductible interest as on a primary residence

f the home was acquired on or before December 15, 2017, then the total amount you (or your spouse if married filing a joint return) can treat as home acquisition debt on your main and second home is $1,000,000; or $500,000 if married filing separately. If the home was acquired after December 15, 2017, the home acquisition debt limit is $750,000; or $375,000 if married filing separately.

Click here for additional information.

Re: Lodging

Rodneylee — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:45:10 GMT

I am aware I can deduct the mortgage interest as a second home. What I am wondering is if I can deduct more, like the mortgage, repairs and complete expense of the home since its sole purpose is housing for my wife while she is there working in her self-employed business?

Thank You

Re: Lodging

KrisD15 — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 19:00:48 GMT

Probably not.

Since she has an office there (as well as the home), you would not be able to claim the expenses as a Home Office.

Since you say she works in this other town, the commute expense and expenses of the second house, would not qualify as Travel nor Lodging.