moving expenses / paying for mileage and meals of helpers

My parents helped me move to a new city far away for work. If I pay my for my parents' mileage when they were helping me move and look for a new home, can I then deduct that as a moving expense?

I bought my parents their meals at restaurants while they were helping me move and look for a new home. According to

formatting link
, I can'tdeduct meals for myself while traveling to my new home and searchingfor a home, but can I deduct the cost of my parents' meals while wewere looking for my new home and then moving to it? Considering Isaved money and had lower expenses by using my parents' help, itdoesn't seem unreasonable to deduct expenses related to having themhelp.

Thanks for your advice.

Reply to
Karl Magdono
Loading thread data ...

to

formatting link
I can't> deduct meals for myself while traveling to my new home and searching> for a home, but can I deduct the cost of my parents' meals while we> were looking for my new home and then moving to it?  Considering I> saved money and had lower expenses by using my parents' help, it> doesn't seem unreasonable to deduct expenses related to having them > help. First, house hunting costs are not deductible moving expenses. So, any payments you made to your parents (or payments or to motel rooms or transportation for yourself) provide no tax benefit if incurred while you were looking for a place to live.

Second, arguably the costs of your movers' meals would be 50% deductible by you if paid by you.

Reply to
Bill Brown

to

formatting link
I can't>> deduct meals for myself while traveling to my new home and searching>> for a home, but can I deduct the cost of my parents' meals while we>> were looking for my new home and then moving to it? Considering I>> saved money and had lower expenses by using my parents' help, it>> doesn't seem unreasonable to deduct expenses related to having them >> help.>

Well I don't think I would argue that one atall. But if meals might be deductible (and why only 50% anyway? not business related), why not the paying for a haircut for the two guys with a truck?

Christmas ChEAr$, Harlan

Reply to
Harlan Lunsford

to

formatting link
I can't> >> deduct meals for myself while traveling to my new home and searching> >> for a home, but can I deduct the cost of my parents' meals while we> >> were looking for my new home and then moving to it? Considering I> >> saved money and had lower expenses by using my parents' help, it> >> doesn't seem unreasonable to deduct expenses related to having them > >> help.>

Harlan, I don't understand your point about 50% and being business related. My move was for work.

Reply to
Karl Magdono

If you were in business for yourself and moving business assets, then such moving expenses would be deductible, and meals of course subject to the 50% rule. But in this case, your move was in connection with work, which I take it to be as an employee.

Anyway, as you've already learned, those expenditures for parents' meals aren't deductible anyhow.

Christmas ChEAr$, Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

Reply to
Harlan Lunsford

If the movers were unrelated business people and paid their own meal costs they would be limited to 50% of those costs (except for an OTR truck driver). If the customer reimbursed any part of those meal costs he/she would get to deduct 50% of the reimbursement as a moving expense. If the movers were relatives working only for expenses then the person getting moved would not, in my opinion, suddenly get to deduct 100% of the reimbursement. On the other hand, I believe it is arguable that the 50% of meals reimbursed does continue to be a deductible moving expense.

As I noted in my original response, none of the costs incurred to support house hunting are deductible as moving expenses.

Reply to
Bill Brown

BeanSmart website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.