Employee Hairdresser Deductions

[britgeezer]

There are 2 places TT asks about equipment / work expense deductions.

My daughter is an employee of a salon, so cannot take the self-employed deductions. 

In the equipment purchased questions for things like scissors (very expensive and easily broken) the asset section it's possible to claim for these items and expense over 1 or more years.

Adding cost of new purchased assets for this year and selecting any of the deduction methods resulted in $0 deduction.

In the expenses section - it steps you through the common expenses and then states-sorry not qualified. 

"The Job-Related Expenses Deduction is only available to people who work in one of these specific professions or situations:

- Armed Forces reservist
- Qualified performing artist
- Fee-basis state or local government official
- You're disabled and have impairment-related expenses"

Why have this section if it will not apply to most?

[Bsch4477 · Accepted solution]

Those deductions only apply if the taxpayer is self employed. 

[britgeezer]

You may be correct, but TT doesn't ask that question and I completed information from a W-2 which would not apply if self-employed.

To me it would not make sense Hairdressers (Cosmetologists) even when employed at a salon have to purchase their own equipment which is thousands per year.

[britgeezer]

So I worked my way through all the TT tax questions and when you get to the end of the complete deductions section you find that all claims are denied because of not being self Employed or in the special sectors of Miliary reserve.

TT you can do better since occupation is an early input and the start of each section should warn of the new loss of deduction unless. ..........

[xmasbaby0]

@britgeezer

Can I deduct job-related expenses on my tax return?

Sorry---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...