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If I am working a temporary job thru an employment agency on a W-2 in another city 200 miles away from home for less than a year can I deduct my mileage motel and meals?

 
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DanielV01
Expert Alumni

If I am working a temporary job thru an employment agency on a W-2 in another city 200 miles away from home for less than a year can I deduct my mileage motel and meals?

Quite possibly.  Here's the information on the IRS' definition of a  Temporary work location.  (Click on link for additional information):  

Temporary work location.

If you have one or more regular work locations away from your home and you commute to a temporary work location in the same trade or business, you can deduct the expenses of the daily round-trip transportation between your home and the temporary location, regardless of distance.

If your employment at a work location is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for 1 year or less, the employment is temporary unless there are facts and circumstances that would indicate otherwise.

If your employment at a work location is realistically expected to last for more than 1 year or if there is no realistic expectation that the employment will last for 1 year or less, the employment isn’t temporary, regardless of whether it actually lasts for more than 1 year.

If employment at a work location initially is realistically expected to last for 1 year or less, but at some later date the employment is realistically expected to last more than 1 year, that employment will be treated as temporary (unless there are facts and circumstances that would indicate otherwise) until your expectation changes. It won’t be treated as temporary after the date you determine it will last more than 1 year.

If the temporary work location is beyond the general area of your regular place of work and you stay overnight, you are traveling away from home. You may have deductible travel expenses as discussed in chapter 1.  

(The above was copied directly from Pub 463 which discusses travel expenses.  If you read this information and you qualify, click on the chapter 1 link to find additional information on what expenses may be deductible.

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1 Reply
DanielV01
Expert Alumni

If I am working a temporary job thru an employment agency on a W-2 in another city 200 miles away from home for less than a year can I deduct my mileage motel and meals?

Quite possibly.  Here's the information on the IRS' definition of a  Temporary work location.  (Click on link for additional information):  

Temporary work location.

If you have one or more regular work locations away from your home and you commute to a temporary work location in the same trade or business, you can deduct the expenses of the daily round-trip transportation between your home and the temporary location, regardless of distance.

If your employment at a work location is realistically expected to last (and does in fact last) for 1 year or less, the employment is temporary unless there are facts and circumstances that would indicate otherwise.

If your employment at a work location is realistically expected to last for more than 1 year or if there is no realistic expectation that the employment will last for 1 year or less, the employment isn’t temporary, regardless of whether it actually lasts for more than 1 year.

If employment at a work location initially is realistically expected to last for 1 year or less, but at some later date the employment is realistically expected to last more than 1 year, that employment will be treated as temporary (unless there are facts and circumstances that would indicate otherwise) until your expectation changes. It won’t be treated as temporary after the date you determine it will last more than 1 year.

If the temporary work location is beyond the general area of your regular place of work and you stay overnight, you are traveling away from home. You may have deductible travel expenses as discussed in chapter 1.  

(The above was copied directly from Pub 463 which discusses travel expenses.  If you read this information and you qualify, click on the chapter 1 link to find additional information on what expenses may be deductible.

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

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