Tax Time
 

I am planning on doing my own taxes this year using turbotax. would any one know which product will work for an official? Deluxe, Premier or Home and Business?

They'll all work.

AS long as the product has a schedule C (and SE), you're all set.

Thanks a lot.

I have used turbotax for my taxes in recent years.

It can get complicated when doing taxes as an official. I know some officials who simply claim the money earned as additional income, and pay the taxes on it. I know others (myself included) who claim their officiating income as a business and as a result pay SE taxes (but also have a much easier time claiming deductions).

Tax Mileage Deduction Questions
 

I am using TaxAct for my taxes.

I am asked to input the following:

Business miles driven during 2015:

Commuting miles (not deductible):

Other personal miles (not deductible):

I drove about 400 extra miles for games. I drove about 10,000 miles for my 8-5 job and an extra 8,000 miles for other stuff.

On the slides that follow, I get asked questions about how much money I paid in interest.

Should I put "0" for commuting miles and "18,000" for other personal miles. Or, should I put "10,000" for commuting miles and "8,000" for personal miles?

I'm just trying to do it right; I'm not trying to figure out how to pay the least taxes.

Thanks!

Thanks to all who contributed to the old threads. I was reading through the old threads and came across this link:

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p46...blink100033930

What I am now planning to do is the following:

Weekdays without games: Home -> Work -> Home = Personal Miles

Weekends with games: Home -> Gym -> Home = Commuting Miles

Weekdays with games: Home -> Work = Commuting Miles
Work -> Gym = Business Miles
Gym -> Home = Commuting Miles

Does that make sense?

Another Questions: I got paid in March 2015 for games worked from Dec 2014 to March 2015. I got paid in Nov 2015 for games worked from March 2015 to Oct 2015. Should I deduct miles from Dec 2014 through Nov 2015 (I think so) or from Jan 2015 though Dec 2015?

This is why I have somebody to do my taxes. :)

No, it does not make sense.

home -> work -> home is commuting miles.

home ->run errands (go on vacation, gop out to dinner, etc) are personal miles

Deduct the miles in the year they were driven.

Add the income in the year it was received.

Thanks!

How should I report miles and tolls driven for camps?

I went from home --> work --> camp on Friday

I returned camp -->home on Sunday

IANATP (I am not a tax professional).

Unless you are able to deduct home office expenses, I believe the IRS would tell you that you can only deduct the mileage and tolls from work to camp in that situation.

But, since I assume you rested somewhere between Friday and Sunday, you should be able to deduct your meals and lodging (or use the per diem amount).

Thanks Altor!

My understanding is different and it has nothing to do with a home office. That said, I let my tax person worry about it.

I, too, am not a tax professional, but I would deduct thee entire home-work-camp-home mileage, less whatever your normal commute is. (So, if you normally drive to work, and that's 20 miles round trip, and the entire mileage is 150 miles, then deduct 130 miles).