I am wondering can I deduct my gym membership from my taxes due to the fact that I must stay in shape in order to referee. Any and all help is appreciated.

You can deduct anything & everything you like.

If you'll get away with it is another question.

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.

Agreed. It would depend on if he was filing a separate Schedule C for the referee income, or if he was just adding it to his 1040.
Again, that's why he needs to talk to a real tax advisor. My limited knowledge might actually be more dangerous than someone who knows nothing at all. But my initial reaction would be that it's not deductible, given it would be hard to prove the membership was ONLY for the refereeing, and not for general health and fitness.
Maybe he needs to park out in front of one and start asking people as they come out of their rooms? You never know, he might get lucky...(er, I mean, find the right answer to his tax question).

Dan's doctor told him he needed to join a gym to stay in shape for officiating.

Dan said he'd like a second opinion.

The doctor said, "OK Dan, you're ugly too."

Ba-da-boom.

Z

go to
 

turbotax -- and do everything for free -- they will do it all on line for you step by step and you only pay if you want to submit -- i did it and i am going to redo my 2004 as well it does all the partial calculations for you.

Geeze, ever since it was decided this forum would remain <s>humorless</s> on-topic I've been called bitter, old & now ugly. There's no justice I tell ya!!!

:eek:

Zebraman's eye doctor tells him he better stop...well, you know...or he'll go blind.

Zebraman asks if he can just keep doing it until he needs glasses, he can deduct them from his taxes.

I'll be here through the weekend folks...don't forget to tip your waitress

:p

After eating out, do you always tip the waitress?

;)


Ps
Age is only a number, ugly is when your age reaches quadruple digits.

Me thinks not.

Had a few 'discussions' with the old IRS about business expenses myself.

The IRS looks at business expenses and their EXCLUSIVITY and PERTENANCE to the business need.

A three piece business suit is not duductable because you can wear it outside of your business. A home office is deductable only to the portion USED FOR BUSINESS.

A club membership to stay in shape for refereeing sounds rather weak IMHO. I'm betting IF they allowed any of it it would be severly limited to season time of maybe the month before.

Beware - the more weird stuff you do the harder they look!

Get a doctors note that you must be in an inside Gym and then write that off as a medical expense - not a business for refereeing.

Geeze, ever since it was decided this forum would remain <s>humorless</s> on-topic I've been called bitter, old & now ugly. There's no justice I tell ya!!!

don't forget to tip your waitress

[/B][/QUOTE]No justice? You are bitter, old and ugly. Case dismissed.

Waitress tipping? Is that like cow tipping? Are the waitresses as happy as the cows? Does a tipped waitress count if they're in the air when the horn goes off?

No justice? You are bitter, old and ugly. Case dismissed.

Waitress tipping? Is that like cow tipping? Are the waitresses as happy as the cows? Does a tipped waitress count if they're in the air when the horn goes off? [/B][/QUOTE]

Ahh...the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Which horn, by the way - shot clock, game clock, or bull?

Ahh...the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Which horn, by the way - shot clock, game clock, or bull? [/B][/QUOTE]

At least he's keeping to the new "no humor" rule.

:p

At least I'm staying on-topic - this thread has become rather taxing, wouldn't you say?

At least he's keeping to the new "no humor" rule. [/B][/QUOTE]Shut up.

Man, I missed you JR! Glad you dragged your sorry a$$ back here...

Missed me? Aw geeze, nothing personal, Rock, but...
http://www.webdeveloper.com/animatio...commentary.gif

Btw, how 'bout those Steelers?

Shutup

Finally, a topic on here where I'm the expert and not you guys.

Although most responses are on the money.

Gym membership is not deductible as a business expense (Sch C) or unreimbursed employee expense (form 2106) whether you are a ref, a pro athlete, or whatever. I can really see no situation where a gym membership would have a strict business purpose.

If a doctor prescribed a unique exercise regiment that you could only comply with by joining a gym. You could deduct it on Sch A as an itemized deduction for medical expenses. However your combined medical expenses each year must equal 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income before they are going to be deductible. So it really isn't going to help you much, unless you make very little income (from all sources) or it is a REALLY expensive gym that is medically necessary.

As I'm sure most of you know, expenses (including business mileage) for things with strictly business usage only. Like your uniforms, dues, classes, etc... are deductible. Assuming you guys are independent contractors rather than employees. Which I'm guessing you are, or at least most of you are. If you are an employee, Unreimbursed employee expense is deductible on form 2106, as a Miscellaneous Itemized Deduction. But Misc Itemized Deductions need to exceed 2.5% of AGI (again in total for each year) before they help you at all.

I wouldn't be filing your income from officiating on the line 21 "other income" on the front page of the return (as someone mentioned). I would only show gross amounts on that line, meaning with no deductions taken against the income. And I certainly wouldn't be ignoring legitimate deductions. You need to be filing a Sch C.

Although most of you already nailed the answer. I felt like I needed to jump all over this thread. Forgive me.

-Mike Clark
Certified Public Accountant

Missed him, eh?

Go ahead, take another shot. The bullets are free.

http://www.scottsdalegunclub.com/mga...6_soldier2.jpg

Thanks Mike! Good stuff.

I figured i couldnt but thanks mike and everyone else for the info