If the only work-related use of your car
is commuting back and forth between your home and main workplace, do not enter
any vehicle mileage or expenses. The IRS doesn't let employees deduct commuting
costs.
You're allowed to deduct commuting expenses between multiple
job sites during the same day. For example, if you go directly from your day
job to your evening job, you can deduct the commute between those 2 job sites.
But if you first go home and then leave to go to your second job, that can't be
deducted.
If you travel to and from a temporary work
location (where your assignment is expected to last no more than 1
year) outside your
metropolitan area, you can claim commuting expenses. You can also claim
commuting expenses to and from a temporary work site, regardless of location,
as long as your main workplace is elsewhere.
You can only deduct mileage if you keep a written log of your
miles otherwise you can't deduct mileage. Per
IRS, you have to have adequate evidence. See https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/ch05.html .
The IRS considers adequate evidence as a log of "who,
what, when, and where" which
may include the following:
- The
cost of the car and any improvements,
- The
date you started using it for business,
- The
mileage for each business use,
- The
total miles for the year.
- Date
of the expense.
- Your
business destination.
- Business
purpose for the expense.
If you are
self-employed (Schedule C), enter/edit your vehicle's mileage:
- Log
on to TurboTax and click on the orange button, Take me to my return.
- Type vehicle expenses, self-employed
business in the search/find box and click search.
- Click on Jump to vehicle
expenses, self-employed business.
- Edit your business.
- At the 'Your xxxx Business' screen,
scroll down to Business Expenses.
- Click start/update next to Business
Vehicle Expense.
- Continue with the onscreen interview until you
get to the 'How Do You Want to Enter Your Mileage for your vehicle'.
If you are an employee, vehicle (Job-related)
expenses
are reported on
Form 2106 (Employee Business Expenses).
- Log on to TurboTax and click on the orange
button, Take me to my return.
- Type vehicle expenses, employee in the search
box and click search..
- Click the Jump to vehicle expenses, employee link
in the search results.
- At the Tell us
about the occupation you have expenses for screen, enter your
occupation.
- Click Continue, and follow the onscreen
instructions.
- If you land on
the Job-Related Expenses Summary screen
instead, you can either Edit expenses for an existing job or
click Add Another Occupation to enter expenses for a new one.
