Another tax question

[Shaggy]

My father-in-law, who knows more about taxes than I do, claims that sports books and sports magazine subscription I buy are deductible since I am a sports journalist.

Comments? Experiences?

 

[OnTheRiver]

My father-in-law, who knows more about taxes than I do, claims that sports books and sports magazine subscription I buy are deductible since I am a sports journalist.

Comments? Experiences?

I deduct the cost of magazines, newspapers and books I buy (so long as they're actually for work).

If you're in a union shop, you can also deduct your union dues.

 

[Dan Hickling]

association dues, such as Pro Hockey Writers, Baseball Writers, etc.

 

[imjustagirl2]

I long for the day when I own something that makes it worthwhile to itemize.

 

[Breakyoself]

can't you itemize mileage or something?

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

My father-in-law, who knows more about taxes than I do, claims that sports books and sports magazine subscription I buy are deductible since I am a sports journalist.

Comments? Experiences?

True. Again, be prepared to prove it.

But if you cover football and buy Kiper's draft guides and stuff like that, you can claim it. Same with any premium Internet site you might subscribe to because it helps with work.

 

[In Exile]

Yes, deductable. You are a sportswriter, anything you buy that contains sportswriting is deductable - books, magazines, online charges - all expenses that help you do your job.

 

[Ace]

Yes, deductable. You are a sportswriter, anything you buy that contains sportswriting is deductable - books, magazines, online charges - all expenses that help you do your job.

Yes, but you have to have a certain minimum amount of these to deduct them, right?

 

[OnTheRiver]

Yes, deductable. You are a sportswriter, anything you buy that contains sportswriting is deductable - books, magazines, online charges - all expenses that help you do your job.

Yes, but you have to have a certain minimum amount of these to deduct them, right?

I forget how it works (the exact percentage of AGI), but once you start figuring in mileage, association dues, etc., in tally up.

 

[Ace]

Yes, deductable. You are a sportswriter, anything you buy that contains sportswriting is deductable - books, magazines, online charges - all expenses that help you do your job.

Yes, but you have to have a certain minimum amount of these to deduct them, right?

I forget how it works (the exact percentage of AGI), but once you start figuring in mileage, association dues, etc., in tally up.

Check.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Yes, deductable. You are a sportswriter, anything you buy that contains sportswriting is deductable - books, magazines, online charges - all expenses that help you do your job.

Yes, but you have to have a certain minimum amount of these to deduct them, right?

I forget how it works (the exact percentage of AGI), but once you start figuring in mileage, association dues, etc., in tally up.

Check.

You will surprised at the amount of things you can deduct; Clothes (work), your monthly insurance premiums.

As for the books and magazines, you need to be able to prove its for work. A copy of Street and Smith's recruiting edition or college breakdown (if you are a college writer), yes. If you are working for the Podunk Times covering preps and you try to claim your annual subscription to SI, you'll have to justify it to the IRS if you get audited.

Don't get carried away.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

I suppose buying BASW could be a legit deduction, but then I could see it not being one too.

 

[GBNF]

For someone not making a ton of money, what are the odds he (umm....I?) get audited?

I want to claim some of this stuff, but no chance I have most of the receipts...

Then what?

 

[OnTheRiver]

For someone not making a ton of money, what are the odds he (umm....I?) get audited?

I want to claim some of this stuff, but no chance I have most of the receipts...

Then what?

They're actually rather low.

Our former office manager was an accountant for years. She said 95-99 percent of all the audits she encountered were people claiming home office expenses and too much meals/entertainment stuff.

Still, don't **** with the IRS.

 

[GBNF]

Would anyone on here be an incredible friend and post "everything" we might be able to deduct?

I have zero tax/money knowledge, and I did a bunch of freelance this year that I would rather not have to deal with...

Or, would anyone be OK if I PMed them about it?

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

Make sure you don't forget about Internet, cell phone (if your company doesn't pay for it), mileage (if your company pays you 30 cents a mile -- you can still write off the difference from the federal rate), etc.
I just got off the phone with my accountant three minutes ago, and he also told me I can write off a portion of my cable as long as I have the sports stations.
We use a lot of personal **** to do our jobs, and there's no reason we shouldn't be able to write off a lot of it.