Tax Return

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Andy

First of all, I would highly recommend contacting a tax professional for the absolute best information on this subject.

Some of the things that I track are:

- mileage to and from assignments (minus anything you are reimbursed for)
- cost of uniforms and supplies
- cleaning of uniforms
- any dues/assignor fees that you pay
- any officiating related subscriptions (ie Referee Magazine)
- any camp fees
- lodging you pay for while attending camps
- cost of any officiating related insurance that you purchase
- meals eaten to or from assignments (this gets tricky as to what qualifies)
- If you do any contests for free (ie Special Olympics), that could be
considered a charitable donation

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

You can deduct mileage even when reimbursed, just be sure to include the reimbursement in your income.
Note that not every area reimburses the full rate or even all the miles.

Here, we're given an extra $2 per trip within town, and you can be sure I'm not going to skip deducting a 15 mile trip in return for a $2 stipend.

Originally Posted by Welpe

This is how my tax pro does it as well. She adds any mileage reimbursement as part of my officiating income and I then deduct all mileage.

I don't personally bother deducting things like meals (unless for an overnight clinic, camp), cell phone, internet or even basic laundry costs. I like to keep things simple.

I will deduct:

-Local/State Dues
-NASO Membership fees (listed as insurance on the Schedule C)
-Assigner's fees
-Mileage-Uniforms / equipment
-Tailoring expenses
-Clinic fees and related lodging and meals
-Any volunteer assignments such as Special Olympics

As a friendly reminder, be sure to claim all officiating income, not just what you receiver a 1099 for.

I've been deducting mileage to and from games for all these years, but, an article in the Oct magazine has me a thinkin:

The article, written by "An enrolled agent licensed by the IRS and Official", he writes, "If you do not go to work at your regular work location, but go from home to the game, those miles are not deductible. Ouch! Your trip home is also not deductible. Another ouch!"

He states if you go from work to a game, "Only the miles from your office or place of employment are counted as business miles."

"It is a Saturday (a day off from your regular job) and you head to the game, none of these miles are business miles."

He further states, that if officiating is your only job, you can count all the mileage to and from games.

While it may not amount to much really, according to this article, I may have been doing it wrong for all these yrs.....

PS - I'm a changin my name.