1.16.2014

Miles, and Miles, and Miles

Scene 1, Godwin & Associates, CPA offices.  March 10, 2013.  Jonathan Godwin is meeting with a small business client regarding tax deductions for his company’s 2012 corporate tax returns.

Jonathan – “So, I see you have indicated your business mileage at 24,650 for 2012.”
Client – “Yes, I have.  I know that sounds high, but I was on the road a tremendous amount last year.”
Jonathan – “I have no problem with that at all.  Can you get me a copy of your mileage log so I have it for my files?”
Client – Crickets…
Jonathan – “You do maintain a mileage log, right?  We talked about this last year as I recall.”
Client – More crickets…

This isn’t an uncommon conversation for me during tax season.  I ask that question of everyone who claims mileage, knowing that in the event of an audit, if there was no mileage log the deduction would be disallowed without even a second thought.  The rules are clear…no log, no deduction.

The federal mileage rate for 2013 is $.565/mile for business travel.  Deductible mileage includes travel to meet with a client; your trip to the bank to make a deposit; your trip to my office to meet and discuss your tax situation; your trip to an open house; your trip to show a house….you get the picture. Just don’t include any personal travel in there, and if your primary office is at your real estate company’s home office, then don’t deduct travel from your personal residence to the office (that’s commuting, not business travel). To say that this deduction is valuable to my real estate clients is a massive understatement, so please do yourself a favor and keep the mileage log.


Last year, Meghan bought several and placed them in our main conference room.  So, if you don’t want to buy one, then come by here and get one for free.  I won’t judge you.  After all, it cost the actor in the above scene a tax deduction of $13,927 at today’s mileage rate for not having the log.  That’s worth a trip to our office….we’ll even throw in some coffee to go.

No comments:

Post a Comment