expenses

[laredotexas12]

I am a self contractor and go to ranches and fix generators and lawn equipment. I get paid in cash. I am doing my taxes and have a couple questions about expenses. I do not own my truck its under my fathers name can I deduct the gas and miles on my taxes? or does it have to be under my name? I use my personal credit card to buy my tools and bought my laptop to use to search parts. Can I deduct the laptop and tools for expenses even though its a personal credit card? I do not have a business name and doing the taxes by my social security as an independent contractor. How many meals can I deduct?

[Carl]

I am doing my taxes and have a couple questions about expenses. I do not own my truck its under my fathers name can I deduct the gas and miles on my taxes? or does it have to be under my name?

Regardless of whose name may be on the title, if you are the primary user of the vehicle and treat it "as if" it's your truck, then for this purpose it's your truck. But if it's a case of where you borrow the truck from your dad, that's a different story.

Basically, if the truck is not 100% business use, then you'll be taking the "per mile" deduction. See what's needed for that at https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc510 and also check out IRS publication 463 which is referenced on that website.

I use my personal credit card to buy my tools and bought my laptop to use to search parts. Can I deduct the laptop and tools for expenses even though its a personal credit card?

Yes. But if audited you'll need to be able to prove your business expenses. Generally, it'sw considered a very bad practice to mix personal and business funds. It would be more prudent to establish a completely separate banking account for the business, and you run *ALL* business income and business expenses through that account. Then you can have a business check/debit/credit card on that account, or obtain and completel separate credit card for the business. Makes accounting and book keeping a whole lot easier and simpler, and if audited makes that quick and easy too.

I do not have a business name and doing the taxes by my social security as an independent contractor. How many meals can I deduct?

Your standard meals you may pay for in the course of performing business related work (I'm talking about lunch breaks and the such) are just flat out not deductible. But for business related meal deductions see IRS Publication 463 Chapter 2 at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/p463--2020.pdf#en_US_2020_publink100033850  Note that there have been some changes with the TCJA of 2018, as referenced at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-issues-final-regulations-on-the-deduction-for-meals-and-entertainme...

[phildonnia]

You can deduct expenses necessary for the operation of your business if you actually paid them.  So if you're ultimately paying for the gas for the truck, then that would generally qualify.

However, you must have documentation of the expenses.  In the future, keep a diary of all miles accumulated for business purposes. (If you haven't done this already, don't try to create one later based on guesses; just suck it up and keep better records this year).