** TAX YEAR 2018 or earlier** My wife works from a home 100% but is not self employed. I want to deduct expenses for her home office. Deluxe or Home and Business?

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

Employee business expenses and a home office can be entered using the Deluxe edition.

To enter employee business expenses and home office -

• Click on Federal Taxes (Personal using Home and Business)
• 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 on the start or update button

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

[dmabrey]

Will Deluxe allow me to deduct utilities and the actual space for the amount of the home my wife uses for her office?

[Critter]

Yes.

[Hal_Al]

For a W-2 employee to claim a home office, he must not only meet the Regularly and Exclusively test, he must meet the convenience of the employer test. This almost always means that  he does not have a place to work at the employer's facility.

References:

Home Office. http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Home-Office-Deduction

Home office convenience of the employer http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/can-you-deduct-your-home-office-when-youre-employee.html