Vehicle Expenses (Uber)

I drive for Uber, and I will take the standard mileage allowance. I have a second car, so I use this car only for Uber.

Are there any other expenses that can be deducted? For example, casualty losses, or the cost of snow removal? I pay more for insurance because I drive it for Uber but I assume no insurance or maintenance are deductible.

Am I allowed to take the standard mileage allowance even though the car is used exclusively for Uber? Would I need to make mixed personal and business use to do that?

Reply to
Roger Fitzsimmons
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Simply put, you should deduct all of your ordinary and necessary business expenses. You would be well advised to maintain a log of everything. IRS agents are required to do so - meaning they are unsympathetic to shoe box record-keeping! And keep separate files for each type of expense.

At a minimum, the difference in your insurance premium between personal use and business use is a deductible expense. Someone else will

The way to get an auditor out of your life is to hand them meticulously organized record-keeping.

Dick

---- Richard D. Adams, CPA (NC - Inactive Status)

Reply to
Dick Adams

My recollection is that you can take either the standard mileage allowance, or your actual expenses (which would include depreciation).

So follow Dick's advice, accurately record and calculate your actual expenses, and then determine whether that deduction is better.

Reply to
Stuart Bronstein

I use the car exclusively for Uber, so I don't keep a daily mileage log.

I'm quite certain the standard mileage allowance exceeds what I would get if I tabulated specific expenses. The car was probably worth only about $3500 when put in service. Gas is cheap these days, and I didn't have much in maintenance.

Can I decide each year which method to use? I'm guessing I can't. This would benefit me if I had a large repair bill some year, perhaps that's the year I'd choose to buy tires, etc.

But is there anything I can deduct in addition to the standard mileage allowance? I don't have parking expenses, and tolls are minimal. If I had an accident, would the cost of that be deductible in addition to the standard mileage allowance? What about snow removal? (We had a big storm here and I paid to get the car dug out.)

Reply to
Roger Fitzsimmons

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