So 1 of my 2 jobs is providing a class to who ever is interested, on intro into whatever trade fancies you (i.e. electrician, plumber). Now this is totally unrelated to my job and is actually an incentive to provide more people to the dwindling workforce we have in the trades. So the classes are online and in order for me to work on them I need a computer. Instead of buying one I chose to build one instead as it gives you more performance to your money and ended spending around $2000 in computer parts. Can I claim this on my taxes?
computer parts for a computer you are building are not ordinary and necessary expenses of employment. It would not be deductible in any year.
If the work is performed as a subcontractor and you are reporting income on a schedule C then you can claim a deduction for your computer. However, if you are performing the work as an employee then you cannot claim a deduction. Please view the TurboTax FAQ below for more information.