How do I deduct a cell phone as an unreimbursed employee expense that was damaged and replaced?

[general0]

As a long haul truck driver my company requires I have a cell phone. I purchase one in January which was destroyed in June. I replaced it and in November it was broken again. I replaced it. Each phone was $500. How and where do I deduct the cost of all 3 phones.

[LinaJ2018]

You may be able to deduct the total cost of all three phones on a Form 2106 ( employee work related ) as long as they are used as ordinary and necessary for your job. 

In TurboTax desktop program, here are the steps:

1.  Sign into your account, select Take me to my return  

2.  At right upper corner, in search box, type in 2106, and Enter 

3.  Select Jump to 2106 

4.  On screen, Tell us about the occupation you have expenses for , enter your occupation

5.  Go through step-by-step interview questions 

6.  On screen, Let's Get Some Info About This Item, enter your information  See attached screenshots

Please note that your refund will not change until

1.  The total of the job related expenses and certain deductions exceed more than 2% of your Adjusted Gross Income AGI ( What is AGI ?) and

2.  the total of all your itemized deductions must be more than your standard deduction for your filing status and you are itemizing

2017 Standard deductions-

·         $6,350 for single filers

·         $6,350 for married, filing separately 

·         $12,700 for married filing jointly 

·         $9,350 for head of household

The additional standard deduction for people who have reached age 65 (or who are blind) is $1,250 for married taxpayers or $1,550 for unmarried taxpayers.