How to file taxes as a traveling nurse

[whoa_mely]

I am a current traveling nurse. I have been traveling since March 2022 after leaving my permanent job.  I am paid a taxed hourly rate and an untaxed stipend for food and housing. My permanent tax home is in Portland, Oregon. I have had contracts in Washington and Oregon. All of them have been over 50 miles from my home. How do I file my taxes? Do I need to provide receipts for my expenses?

[conniem123]

Hi whoa_mely,    I understand your traveling nurse position is paying you as an employee and withholdings taxes, which means you are an employee and will receive a Form W-2 for 2022.   As an employee you are not allowed a deduction for nonreimbursed employee expenses. 

 Sometimes traveling nurses are paid as independent contractors, receiving a Form 1099-NEC and report their business income and business expenses, but are responsible for not only federal tax but FICA and MCARE.  You would only need to report your business expenses, and keep your receipts if you were filing as self employed, an independent contractor that received a Form 1099-NEC.  

As an employee you can use the W-4 Calculator that takes you step-by-step through the worksheet to have the correct amount of tax withheld from your paycheck,

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/w4/

I hope you find this helpful!