Groceries

arrbsthw · Jan 12, 2008

If you go to the grocery store and buy $80.00 worth of
groceries, water, plates, paper towels, etc. How do you
determine what is deductible. Is the food ded or is is part of the
per diem? Are supplies such as papertowels, tt paper, forks
etc ded?
and I know I have asked this before but I just don't understand..
If my husband and I both have our name on tax return
A....& R....Wa... with both ss #'s is the per diem per day for
each of us. (we both eat). 52 x 2 = 104 minus the %.

the food that we buy eating out at mickey d's etc is included in
our per diem..right? Do I need to save receipts for that?
I save all my Walmart receipts where I buy groceries for the
truck also.
Sorry for asking again but I just need to understand this.

are12 · Jan 12, 2008

When you take the per diem, you cannot deduct the food you buy or from fast food restaurants. (no need to save receipts, since you can't claim it). As for the papertowels, tt paper, laundry supplies, if they are purchased out of my personal checking, I just circle the items and put the amount spent on the top of the receipt. I usually try and separate anything for the truck and use my business account to purchase those items
As for you both getting the per diem, the answer is yes.
Hope this helps.

TeamCaffee · Jan 12, 2008

You both get to take the per diem for your taxes. We also try to purchase all truck items with our business account. You can deduct the paper towels and cleaning supplies also rugs for the truck cooking utensils, bedding anything that is only going to be used in the truck. Anything you are going to eat or showers are included in the PerDeim so is not deductible. You can also not deduct anything that is for your own personal entertainment such as DVD's or going to the movies but you can deduct the DVD player as long as you watch something on there that is considered training which we all of course do.

arrbsthw · Jan 12, 2008

Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

arrbsthw · Jan 12, 2008

How about gallons of water for cooking and bottles of water
for drinking and pepcid or other meds?

TeamCaffee · Jan 12, 2008

As far as I know none of the above is deductable. Water covered by per diem and medicine is a personal expense that you would use on the road or at home.

arrbsthw · Jan 12, 2008

ok, thanks again

are12 · Jan 12, 2008

TeamCaffee, It has always been my understanding that you could deduct what you spend for entertainment while on the road. I guess I need to ask my accountant again.

terryandrene · Jan 12, 2008

A $ J

It's been my understanding that you may deduct entertainment expenses if you are entertaining a client for the purpose of generating or maintaining a business relationship that produces taxable revenue. Movies during layover wouldn't count.

OntarioVanMan · Jan 13, 2008

We deduct showers and the ICE that keeps the food cold.....
and the gas for the portable generator.

Linda in your accountants line of thinking if you can't take the showers then you can't take anything connected to the per diem..that would include the utensils to eat that food with and paper plates to eat that food on....nor the bedding.

TeamCaffee · Jan 13, 2008

Frank has said more then once on here that showers are no longer deductible as they are included in the PerDiem. Anything related to food is not deductible as it is covered in the PerDeim. The paper towels are deductible as you can use them to clean the windshield or other items on the truck. All cleaning supplies are deductible that you use to clean the truck. The entertainment has to be proven that you talked business such as taking a potential driver out to supper. Going to a movie would be pretty hard to prove as a deduction.

OntarioVanMan · Jan 13, 2008

Re: showers...I'd like to see that ruling...

I am finding that accountants are like truck drivers....no 2 will agree.

butterfly610 · Jan 13, 2008

On almost all the websites I've researched trying to find a good trucking accountant, their websites say you can take the per diem, but also list showers in the list of deductible things. Recently one that I spoke to said to let them know the amount of days spent out on the road, and also said to give totals for deductible items, and showers were on that list. There's so many things you can claim as long as you use them in the truck.

chetjester · Jan 16, 2008

I was glad to find this thread. I feel pretty confident about what can be deducted, but one thing baffles me.

I was told that non-prepared foods ( please tell me what they are?) were deductible even with a per diem deduction.

I'm ready for all y'all opinions on that. And, even better, real facts.

terryandrene · Jan 16, 2008

It would be unreasonable to think that you could buy $20 worth of food to prepare in your truck, take the tax deduction, and then take the $52 Standard meal allowance deduction. The IRS regulations are clear that you may deduct actual expenses for food OR deduct the Standard meal allownance; it's all of one or the other. I'll buy Chet a dinner if I'm wrong in my understanding.

dieseldiva · Jan 17, 2008

TeamCaffee said:
Frank has said more then once on here that showers are no longer deductible as they are included in the PerDiem. Anything related to food is not deductible as it is covered in the PerDeim. The paper towels are deductible as you can use them to clean the windshield or other items on the truck. All cleaning supplies are deductible that you use to clean the truck. The entertainment has to be proven that you talked business such as taking a potential driver out to supper. Going to a movie would be pretty hard to prove as a deduction.

I'm looking and don't see where Frank EVER said such a thing about the showers. I think I'll hold my judgement on that one and a few of the others until Frank himself has the time to answer. I wouldn't want to mislead anyone by making such a strong statement without the facts to back it up.

Personally, we've always taken the showers seperately from the per diem. JMHO

are12 · Jan 18, 2008

According to our accountant, you can deduct shower's and also, books, DVD's, and CD's. He claims that the IRS does not expect you to sit, staring out the window, while you are layed over. We have claimed them for the past three years and have never been audited so as long as our accountant says it is OK, we will continue to use them as a deduction.
We also have to tell our accountant how many days we are off each year - since you can only claim the per diem for the days you are on the road.

greg334 · Jan 18, 2008

are12 said:
According to our accountant, you can deduct shower's and also, books, DVD's, and CD's. He claims that the IRS does not expect you to sit, staring out the window, while you are layed over. We have claimed them for the past three years and have never been audited so as long as our accountant says it is OK, we will continue to use them as a deduction.
We also have to tell our accountant how many days we are off each year - since you can only claim the per diem for the days you are on the road.

I too do the same thing but here is what my account has said to me, if I get audited they may pick on these items to be disallowed so be prepared.

ConfusedMuse · Jan 21, 2008

Okay I got all that put in the steamer. How about lodging, we keep our reciepts, but I am thinking that if there is a per diem for lodging that that will work out easier,and better for us in the long run.

terryandrene · Jan 21, 2008

My belief is that we may not take the lodging per diem, but some truckers claim the deduction. Keep the receipts and deduct the actual expenses.
You can also deduct books, CDs, DVDs, watchdogs, watch cats, showers, cosmetics and anything else that you can imagine that will fit on the "office", "travel" and "other" categories on your schedule C form. Just because an accountant says so, doesn't make it so. Proof of this lies in your contract with the accountant which most likely states that they will pay to represent you at an IRS audit, but you are responsible for any taxes due when the auditer spots an accountant's mistake.

I think that any questionable item such as those I mentioned above, and all but the most obvious of deductions, should be questioned when an "accountant" or tax preparer says they are deductable. Ask in which publication and which article is the deduction discussed. Please don't believe me or any other forum denizen when we say such things as "You can deduct the cost of owning a dog in a truck because it's your security system."

While you are layed over awaiting a load, consider going to a nearby IRS satellite office and asking a clerk there. Many will take the time to show you the answer to your question or help you fill out a form where the question can be submitted to the IRS in Washington. It will take a while but you'll eventually get an answer in the form of a highlighted section of the regulations.

You can also get a copy of several different publication at many Post Offices