If you are an employee (i.e., your income is reported on a Form W-2), you'll enter the meal cost for your overnight trips as a job-related expense. Be sure to indicate that you are in the transportation industry as special rules apply. Note that you may only claim your job-related expenses if you itemize deductions. If you take the standard deduction, these expenses will not reduce your taxable income.
Follow these steps to enter job-related meal expenses covered by DOT rules:
- Open (continue) your tax return in TurboTax.
- Search for 2106, then click the "Jump to 2106" link.
- Tell Us About the Occupation You Have Expenses For. Enter Truck Driver and click Continue.
-
Do Any of These Uncommon Situations Apply to Name's Job? Select You are in the transportation industry and click Continue. (See attachment 1 for reference.) Note: You are in the transportation industry if your work involves moving people or goods by airplane, barge, ship, bus, train, or truck.
- Continue responding to the onscreen instructions. When you reach the Any Other Expenses? screen, you may enter your Meal expenses covered by the Department of Transportation rules. (See attachment 2 for reference.)
The TurboTax FAQ below has more information for transportation industry workers, including instructions for figuring your unreimbursed DOT per diem.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/4146014
