What can you do if you have a good idea of the number of miles a vehicle was driven for business purposes, but not how many miles overall? Should you just use your best guess or is there a way to avoid the problem without losing a whole deduction? How do you determine valuie as of the date placed in service when the the date placed in service is when the vehicle was several years old? What if there is a sort of regular work location but that is not driven to on most days? Do you calculate the distance to the nearest stop and subtract that from total miles?
If you are claiming standard mileage rates, it's not so important what your total mileage is. This only becomes important if you are claiming actual expenses and need to calculate a percentage business use. Can you estimate total use based on odometer readings from when you had the car serviced?
There are several websites where you can estimate FMV of a vehicle, e.g.
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If you travel between business sites during the day e.g. a salesman who makes sales calls, you cannot deduct mileage from your home to the first stop, nor from your last stop to your home. These are considered commuting miles. But you can count miles from one business stop to the next. If you are a construction worker, e.g., who travels to various work sites, but only one per day, this is not deductible unless you first report in to the main place of employment and then travel to the work site. A deduction is allowed for mileage from the main place of employment to the work site, but not miles from home to the first stop, nor back home after finishing work for the day. If neither of these cases applies, you need to post more info in order for us to evaluate your situation better. Dennis
SF> What can you do if you have a good idea of the number of SF> miles a vehicle was driven for business purposes
Average number of miles per day multiplied by number of days worked (which can be quickly estaimated from total pay minus possibly some days that don't count for this) Trips to main place of business can also be estimated. Closest stop could also be estimated, if needed. SF> but not how many miles overall?
SF> Should you just use your best guess or is there a way to SF> avoid the problem without losing a whole deduction?
Dennis
D> If you are claiming standard mileage rates, it's not so D> important what your total mileage is. This only becomes D> important if you are claiming actual expenses and need to D> calculate a percentage business use.
Is depreciation - any kind of dereciation - only used when claiming actual expenses? D> Can you estimate total use based on odometer readings from when you had the D> car serviced?
A gross ballpark estimate I supppose could be done. I have no idea if there are records or what days they would cover. There was extensive personal use of that car too, for driving around and also for periodic 125 miles (that's one way) trips. D> If neither of these cases applies, you need to post more D> info in order for us to evaluate your situation better.
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