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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 06:41pm
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Questions on claiming expenses on Taxes

I've read some of the posts on here on what you can claim. Can you advise on:
I don't want to stretch things too far, but want to know what most officials are doing.

Things I have definitely claimed:
  • Mileage
  • Officials Gear (shirts, pants, shoes)
  • Tailoring (hemming, patches, etc.)
  • Officiating camp registration
  • Dues/Assessments/Fines
[*]Food (actual receipts or credit card statements from before games)[*]Drinks (Gatorade & others prior to games)[/LIST]

What do you think of these? I know many of these are used for other things that basketball officiating, so that's why I'm asking
  • Auto repairs in season (brakes, new tires, oil changes)
  • Medical (cold/flu over the counter, prescriptions, doctor's appts, etc.)
  • Cell phone (pro-rated?)
  • Bluetooth for handsfree driving (required in NJ)
  • Internet bill
  • Home printer
  • Laundry ( I know that's been questioned for $5 a week)

Oh..and good news...got my first sectional games for state playoffs, and doing a regional semi-final for Junior College. Waiting to hear about the NCAA's for Division III.

-KG
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 06:47pm
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Congratulations on your games. I'd recommend seeking tax advice from a tax professional.
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 07:20pm
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Wink

Thanks MB. I will call up my brother in law who is a CPA. I just wanted to get a perspective from what fellow officials have done. I know the more you claim that is not black/white, the IRS may come a knockin'. I've heard other people claim grooming such as haircuts, GPS purchases, etc.

Good luck to you all in the playoff season!

-KG
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 07:40pm
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I Assume That You Report All Your Referee Income ???

Quote:
Originally Posted by kgeorge0263 View Post
Mileage.
Be careful here. I've heard a lot of different views regarding mileage. Are you traveling to the game from your day job? Do you claim one way, or round trip, mileage?

After work I always go home to pick up my bag and then I travel to the game site. I never go from my day job straight to the game. (Are my pants on fire?) I give my accountant round trip mileage. What he does with it, I don't know, and I don't care. My accountant also suggests that I claim $5.00 per week, during the season, for laundry.

I'll double check with my accountant on Sunday. It's visiting day at the prison. That reminds me, I need to buy a file, and bake a cake.


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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:13pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kgeorge0263 View Post
I've read some of the posts on here on what you can claim. Can you advise on:
I don't want to stretch things too far, but want to know what most officials are doing.

Things I have definitely claimed:
  • Mileage Can't claim both mileage and auto expenses.
  • Officials Gear (shirts, pants, shoes)
  • Tailoring (hemming, patches, etc.)
  • Officiating camp registration
  • Dues/Assessments/Fines
[*]Food Only if more than 60 miles I think(actual receipts or credit card statements from before games)[*]Drinks Not deductible(Gatorade & others prior to games)[/LIST]

What do you think of these? I know many of these are used for other things that basketball officiating, so that's why I'm asking
  • Auto repairs in season See mileage above(brakes, new tires, oil changes)
  • Medical Not deductible(cold/flu over the counter, prescriptions, doctor's appts, etc.)
  • Cell phone Yes...prorated(pro-rated?)
  • Bluetooth for handsfree driving Possible(required in NJ)
  • Internet bill Only if exclusive for business
  • Home printer Only if exclusive for business
  • Laundry ( I know that's been questioned for $5 a week)

Oh..and good news...got my first sectional games for state playoffs, and doing a regional semi-final for Junior College. Waiting to hear about the NCAA's for Division III.

-KG


Disclaimer: Not a tax attorney
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  #6 (permalink)  
Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:13pm
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Location: Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A.
Posts: 8,044
Quote:
Originally Posted by kgeorge0263 View Post
I've read some of the posts on here on what you can claim. Can you advise on:
I don't want to stretch things too far, but want to know what most officials are doing.

Things I have definitely claimed:
  • Mileage
  • Officials Gear (shirts, pants, shoes)
  • Tailoring (hemming, patches, etc.)
  • Officiating camp registration
  • Dues/Assessments/Fines
[*]Food (actual receipts or credit card statements from before games)[*]Drinks (Gatorade & others prior to games)[/LIST]

What do you think of these? I know many of these are used for other things that basketball officiating, so that's why I'm asking
  • Auto repairs in season (brakes, new tires, oil changes)
  • Medical (cold/flu over the counter, prescriptions, doctor's appts, etc.)
  • Cell phone (pro-rated?)
  • Bluetooth for handsfree driving (required in NJ)
  • Internet bill
  • Home printer
  • Laundry ( I know that's been questioned for $5 a week)

Oh..and good news...got my first sectional games for state playoffs, and doing a regional semi-final for Junior College. Waiting to hear about the NCAA's for Division III.

-KG

The items that I have highlighted in RED you can NOT (except if you claim actual auto expenses, you can NOT claim mileage). I claim all drycleaning and $5 per load of laundry. Food has to be job related, i.e., having a meal after the game with your partner to discuss rules.

If you are making loan payments on the car you use for officiating, then you can claim the pro-rated amount of interest on the loan.

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  #7 (permalink)  
Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:34pm
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What's The Real Story On Mileage ???

I've heard a lot of different things about mileage. Can anybody straighten me out, please?

Home to game? (one way)
Home to game, and back home? (round trip)
Primary "day" job to game? (one way)
Primary "day" job to game, and back home? (kind of a round trip)

Inquiring minds want to know how to stay out of prison.
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:39pm
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Billy-

My tax person has me claim mileage from my location to the game site and directly to home. Usually this is from work to the site and then to home. This will be pretty much a moot point this year though since they reimburse us for mileage here.

Don't forget to claim any tolls. We have quite a few toll roads here that are the most direct route to games and they add up.

I personally don't bother with things such as cell phone usage because the amount I could claim would be very small and it's not worth the hassle of tracking.
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Last edited by Welpe; Mon Feb 22, 2010 at 08:42pm.
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:40pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. View Post
The items that I have highlighted in RED you can NOT (except if you claim actual auto expenses, you can NOT claim mileage). I claim all drycleaning and $5 per load of laundry. Food has to be job related, i.e., having a meal after the game with your partner to discuss rules. If you are making loan payments on the car you use for officiating, then you can claim the pro-rated amount of interest on the loan.
And I'm going to take tax advice from a structural engineer? Tell me what bridges I can safely drive over in the Greater Toledo, Ohio, area, and I'll listen with bated breath. But tax advice? I don't know?
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)
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  #10 (permalink)  
Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:43pm
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Yeah, Real Lucky ???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welpe View Post
Don't forget to claim any tolls.
Thanks.

No tolls here in Connecticut. Not even one. But we've got an income tax, a sales tax, a gasoline tax, house taxes, car taxes, etc. Aren't we lucky not to have to pay tolls?
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:36)
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:46pm
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We have all of those except for income tax. We have (relatively) cheap gas, too!
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Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 08:47pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Welpe View Post
We have all of those except for income tax. We have (relatively) cheap gas, too!
Yeah. Go ahead. Rub it in.

$2.89 per gallon for regular, self serve, credit card.
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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

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  #13 (permalink)  
Old Mon Feb 22, 2010, 09:47pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyMac View Post
I've heard a lot of different things about mileage. Can anybody straighten me out, please?

Home to game? (one way)
Home to game, and back home? (round trip)
Primary "day" job to game? (one way)
Primary "day" job to game, and back home? (kind of a round trip)

Inquiring minds want to know how to stay out of prison.
BillyMac. You can claim round trip mileage. You can claim it directly from home or work. If you drive from work to home, then to the game, you cannot claim the work-to-home portion.

You can claim mileage to games, to meetings, to camps, etc.
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  #14 (permalink)  
Old Tue Feb 23, 2010, 12:46am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kgeorge0263 View Post
I've read some of the posts on here on what you can claim. Can you advise on:
I don't want to stretch things too far, but want to know what most officials are doing.

Things I have definitely claimed:
  • Mileage
  • Officials Gear (shirts, pants, shoes)
  • Tailoring (hemming, patches, etc.)
  • Officiating camp registration
  • Dues/Assessments/Fines
KGeorge:

I'm not a CPA -- I just work for one I do have one suggestion, though: I might want to check with a professional about the fines you mentioned. I know that tax fines and penalties aren't deductible, so I'm not sure if that would extrapolate to fines assessed against your game fees by your assignor or officials' association.
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Old Wed Feb 24, 2010, 06:18pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Welpe View Post
Billy-

My tax person has me claim mileage from my location to the game site and directly to home. ...This will be pretty much a moot point this year though since they reimburse us for mileage here.
I'm pretty sure you still need to claim the mileage reimbursement as income and then take the deduction. The $ may or may not come out the same depending on whether the remimbursement amount is the same as the deductable amount (they are not for most people around here because the mileage pay is from a central point and is not at the full IRS rate). If for no other reason, it would serve to dot the I's and cross the T's should there ever be a question about whether you reported all of your income. No need giving the IRS a reason to cause you grief.
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