Tax question

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by M&M Guy

Dan's not an accountant, but he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I've always been told items used to treat a specific ailment are deductible, but preventative items are not. In other words, something like Advil would be a deductible medical expense, but vitamins are not. Along those same lines, a gym membership used to get and stay in shape would not be deductible, but if your doctor prescribed the membership to treat a particular problem, that would be a deductible expense.

As always, check with your tax advisor to see what's right for you.

Hmmmm...can you actually deduct as a business expense against your officiating income the cost of a gym membership, even if it was prescribed by a doctor?

IIRC medical expenses are subject to strict limitations & are a line item of their own on the regular deductions form.

Also...I believe you can claim a business expense to the extent that you use it for your business. In the OP's case he would need to argue the use of the gym is entirely related to his business, for whatever reason, to be a legitimate busness expense, or to take a partial expense claim based on the amount he believes the gym applies to business use vs non-business use. Seems like tricky stuff to me.

And you're right, I'm not a tax expert, and I can't even remember the last time I slept in a Holiday Inn Express.