We always do Married filing Jointly but this year I have gotten my insurance license and alot office expenses.Can I still do filing jointly and write off these expenses?

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

If you are self-employed your income and expenses are entered on a Schedule C.  The Schedule C is part of and included with the Form 1040 that is filed with the IRS.  You can still file as Married Filing Jointly on the federal tax return, Form 1040.

If you are working as an employee and will receive a W-2 then none of your employee business expenses can be deducted on a federal tax return due to the tax law changes for tax years 2018 thru 2025.

[xmasbaby0]

Are you working as an independent contractor?   If so, you are self-employed, and will be paying self-employment tax, and you will be completing a Schedule C for your business expenses.    You can still file a joint tax return with your spouse and do those things.  Filing jointly is almost always better; you lose a lot of credits if you file separate returns.

You will need to use online Self-Employed software, or any version of the CD/download in order to prepare the Schedule C.   All versions of the desktop (CD/download) have all forms and schedules, but only online Self-Employed has the Schedule C you will need.  Your spouse's income can also be included when you use those versions, so that you can combine all of your income on a joint return just like you have in the past.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/how-do-i-report-income-from-self-employment/00/...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/what-is-the-self-employment-tax/00/25922

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2902389-why-am-i-paying-self-employment-tax

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901340-where-do-i-enter-schedule-c

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3398950-what-self-employed-expenses-can-i-deduct

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901110-do-i-need-to-make-estimated-tax-payments-to-the-irs

[xmasbaby0]

If you are selling insurance as a W-2 employee, then sorry, but you cannot deduct any office expenses, etc. on a federal tax return.  W-2 employees cannot deduct job-related expenses on a federal tax return.

-W-2 employees cannot deduct job-related expenses on a federal return.  Job-related expenses were eliminated as a federal deduction for W-2 employees by the tax laws that changed for 2018 and beyond.  Your state tax laws might be different in AL, AR, CA, HI, MN, NY or PA.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4482873-which-federal-tax-deductions-have-been-suspended-by-tax-re...