Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Aug 18, 2025 2:58:45 PM

I bought a tablet computer with the intent of using it only for work purposes. What's the best practice for proving the IRS that I only use it for work?

I have a TV and computer I use for personal reasons, I have no interest in using this for myself. I am a 1099 worker and I bought this to align better with my coworkers tools.

0 2 3042
2 Replies
Level 15
Aug 18, 2025 7:44:34 PM

If you are self employed and the computer is generally accepted as something used in your business you don’t have to prove anything. 

Level 15
Aug 19, 2025 8:03:53 AM


@Bsch4477 wrote:

If you are self employed and the computer is generally accepted as something used in your business you don’t have to prove anything. 


I think it would be very rare for the IRS--even if they audit you--to ask to see the tablet and look for apps like Netflix or Hulu or mobile games.   (The IRS does sometimes do full compliance audits where they ask to see every piece of paper and account for every dollar in your bank account, but these are extremely uncommon, and they are used to build up a statistical picture of how compliant the US is as a whole, rather than an enforcement action on an individual.)