I usually have to drive about 10 miles to get to an area where I can doordash. Do I count those miles, the miles for orders, and the miles it takes me to get back home? Where I live that can be like 20+ miles (varies every day) for 1 hour of work
+ driving there and back home.
From your home to first stop = personal miles
From your last stop home = personal miles
From the first stop to the last stop and all the stops in between = business miles
See page 12 : https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p463.pdf
If you are new to being self employed, are not incorporated or in a partnership and are acting as your own bookkeeper and tax preparer you need to get educated ....
If you have net self employment income of $400 or more you have to file a schedule C in your personal 1040 return for self employment business income. You may get a 1099-Misc for some of your income but you need to report all your income. So you need to keep your own good records. Here is some reading material……
IRS information on Self Employment….
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Self-Employed-Individuals-Tax-Center
Publication 463,
Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses
https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-463
Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p334.pdf
Publication 535 Business Expenses
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p535.pdf
Home Office Expenses … Business Use of the Home
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/home-office-deduction
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p587.pdf
Publication 946 … Depreciation
As a delivery driver, you are allowed to claim all miles driven during your DoorDash deliveries. There are two methods for claiming vehicle expenses.
The IRS's rates for 2022 during the first half were 58.5 cents and 62.5 cents for the second half. In order to determine which method would benefit you most you can follow the following steps in TurboTax: