How do I calculate my mileage when I have a home office but make a personal detour?

[Anonymous]

For example, let's say I have a meeting with a client on a Sunday afternoon. I drive from my home to church and then I drive from my church to the meeting. Can I deduct what the miles would have been from my home to the meeting? Or can I only deduct the miles from my church to the meeting?

[Lisa995]

Home to church is personal.  Church to meeting is business.

[Anonymous]

What if it was flipped around? For example, let's say I went from home to meeting to church to home. Then I could deduct 1) the initial drive from home to meeting and 2) the drive from meeting to church? Is that correct?

[californiasteven]

Yes.  It's the purpose of the driving that counts. If it's to or from work (or during work) is business.

[Lisa995]

IRS Pub 463 has a great graphic in Chapter 4 that shows which miles are deductible and which are not.

[MichaelDC]

Thank you Lisa995. Can I add that to the answer? With your credit, of course.

[MichaelDC · Accepted solution]

In addition to the great answers in Comments, this may be a help:

If you maintain an approved office at home as your principle work location, all your miles are typically deductible from your "office" to any place business related.

If you work or operate your business from somewhere other than your home, even with a home office, you can't deduct the miles you drive from home to that location. They are commuting miles and therefore, not deductible. Of course, as mentioned, you can deduct driving costs from your business location to the bank, a client's office, etc.