There are many deductions available for at home businesses and small businesses. It is very important to keep accurate records of all of your business expenses. This will make tax time much easier and may allow for a larger return of many often overlooked deductions.

Here is a quick list of possible home and small business deductions:

• Office Supplies
• Office Furniture
• Software Purchases
• Mileage Reimbursement (50.5 cents per mile)
• Vehicle Expense
• Travel & Meals
• Insurance Premiums
• Telephone & Internet

If you currently maintain a home office then you can even deduct the amount of space used in your home to operate that office. You can deduct a percentage of your rent or mortgage as well as utilities for that space.

Tips to Remember

• You can either deduct your total mileage or your vehicle operating expenses.
• 100% of travel expenses are deductible except for meals. Only a 50% deduction is allowed for meals while traveling
• You can take a 100% deduction all at once for office furniture or take a deduction on the depreciation for up to five years.
• You should have a second phone line installed to deduct a 100% of business related telephone expenses.
• Magazine subscriptions are deductible as long as they are related to your industry.

We suggest using online tax preparation software such as TurboTax to help you get the most business related deductions possible. Using online software can help you avoid making costly errors when filing your business return and lower the chance of a possible audit.

Visit TurboTax Online to take advantage of their biggest refund guarantee. TurboTax Online offers business owners step by step instructions when filing your return.