My job asked me to move to Florida for 6 months. How do I deduct the rent I paid in FL for my temporary housing? (I was given a housing allowance, and had 2 apartments)

[audraku]

I live in Washington and paid rent for my Washington apartment and Florida apartment. It appears that the housing allowance is considered taxable income. So I assume I should be able to deduct my expenses. How do I do that? Aside from Rent and Utilities, what other expenses would be able to be deducted? (Furniture, cleaning supplies, etc?)

[Opus 17]

If you are a W-2 worker, nothing is deductible, and any housing assistance is properly taxable and included in your W-2 taxable income.  Sorry.  The ability to deduct those expenses was removed in the 2017 tax reform law in return for increasing the standard deduction for everyone and lowering the overall tax brackets. 

[Opus 17]

Adding...

Expenses may be deductible on a state income tax return for states that follow the pre-2018 law.  However, both states you lived in do not have state income tax, so that doesn't help you either. 

[audraku]

Really?! 
https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc511 
says: 

"You can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred in connection with a temporary work assignment away from home." As long as it is less than 1 year? 

[Opus 17]

---

@audraku wrote:

Really?! 
https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc511 
says: 

"You can deduct travel expenses paid or incurred in connection with a temporary work assignment away from home." As long as it is less than 1 year? 

---

These types of expenses are deductible for self-employed people and for members of the National Guard and armed forces reserves.  The deduction for regular employees was removed in 2017.  See this from the instructions for form 2106.

Use Form 2106 if you were an Armed Forces reservist, a qualified performing artist, a fee-basis state or local government official, or an employee with impairment-related work expenses. Employees who do not fit into one of the listed categories may not use the Form 2106 due to the suspension of miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% floor under section 67(a). Section 67(g) suspends miscellaneous itemized deductions for tax years beginning after 2017 and before 2026. See the flowchart in these instructions to find out if you must file this form.

https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i2106