Can I claim some of my internet bill for my direct sales business?

[Mommafour]

I work from home doing direct sales for an MLM company. Can I deduct a percentage of my internet bill since it is a necessity for my business? My direct sales is primarily run via my Facebook page. I don't have set "business hours".

[LeeM · Accepted solution]

Yes you can deduct a percentage of your internet (ISP) bill, however, I would adopt a method of splitting the cost between business and personal use and use it consistently from year to year.  

I would recommend using either: 

• the?same percentage as your home office is of your main home (i.e. if your home office is 10% of the square footage of your home, use 10% of your internet costs) 

• Determine how much you use your ISP for business (i.e. if you?use the internet for work?for 8 hrs a day and only you use the internet, then you could deduct 1/3 of the total internet costs) 

You can enter those business expenses as utilities or communication expenses by following the directions in the FAQ below: 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/4800425