Expenses to Pick Up Tax Return

[Corduroy Frog]

Mylanta?

Oh. My. Lanta.

You mean, "Oh, my Lantana."

[private joke. I think only Rita and I will be able to understand]

This guy is driving back to NY because he wants to. He has another purpose for this trip and is not telling you. Gone to see his family/gone to close out affairs/gone to see his mistress/whatever.

Tell him you were born at night, but not LAST night.

[JohnH]

Any chance his tax preparer happens to be near a ski resort or other vacation spot? Lake Placid, the Adirondacks, etc?

[erchess]

You know

I really like that line about "I was born at night....." and have long wished that I could truthfully use it. But I came into this world by C Section at ten am as had been scheduled for at least two weeks. The Doctor didn't do anything work related that day except deliver me. He played tennis before the delivery and he spent the rest of the day praying for forgiveness.

[JohnH]

I'm told that when I was born the doctor took one look at me and slapped my mother.

[ChEAr$]

I'm told that when I was born the doctor took one look at me and slapped my mother.

Now I'm reminded of the derivation of the word "bunk", as in "bunkun", a word JohnH and Ed will know, being Southern and all. It actually comes from a county in JohnH 's state, Buncombe county, way up in the northwest part of the state.

[taxea]

Tell him to have his preparer overnight it to him and add the charge to the bill. This would be a deductible expense for tax prep on Sch A. You can ethically put it there and then if he asks tell him his itemized deductions were not more than his std deduction.

No way, no how would I let him think that the mileage to pick up his return would be deductible.

Or you could take all the expenses rightfully deductible on the Sch A and tell him he has the option of taking the standard deduction or forcing the Sch A.

[RitaB]

Here's what I'm telling him

I'm telling him:

"Most of my esteemed colleages who are talking to me don't think travel to pick up your tax return is deductible. However, we don't have anything in black and white to show you. Maybe because it's hard to prove a negative. Maybe because we have other fish to fry on March 30. Maybe because we are amazed that you drove to NY to pick up your return, and kinda doubt that's the whole purpose of the trip. Maybe because you are the first person in the history of the world to ask about this.

Additionally, the deduction is of no practical value in your case. IF the expense IS deductible and is entered right here on Sch A, line 23 (I will point to the highlighted number), your itemized deductions total $4678. Now, this number CAN be transferred right over here to Form 1040, line 40a (more pointing). OR, you can use the standard deduction increased by your property tax and sales tax on your nice vehicle out there in my parking lot. THAT number is $8792. Up to you.

I MIGHT research this further this summer, cause I'm not yet convinced that it's a 'no', cause our laws allow a lot of stupid expenses to be deducted. But, since you now live six miles from your tax preparer's office, the $3 you might be able to deduct in the future will not be significant in the big picture. (Big sweeping motion with arms here.)"

Fair enough?

[ChEAr$]

You don't have to prove a negative. You only have to tell him there is nothing that allows it.
I seem to recall the code speaks of a deduction for an expense to determine taxable income.

Publication 17 simply says : tax preparation fees.... to include. cost of software and publications. It says nothing about travel in this instance, and on that I would hang my hat.

[luke]

Excellent

RitaB excellent answer to a "tough" situation!

[taxxcpa]

Travel to pick up return

Can you deduct the cost of chartering a jet to go somewhere to pick up your return?
Would your answer be different if you were the CEO of a Fortune 500 company?

[RitaB]

I don't have an answer yet

Can you deduct the cost of chartering a jet to go somewhere to pick up your return?
Would your answer be different if you were the CEO of a Fortune 500 company?

No, my answer (which is still "I don't know") does not depend on his station in life, or the amount of the expense. I am thankful that it didn't matter in this case, because Pub 529 lists a lot of non-deductible items, and this is not mentioned either way. Maybe because it should be obvious. (It's not obvious to me.)

And, yes, it is a still a stupid expense, but he did say today that he also met with his investment advisor while he was in NY. So, the scenario seems a little less ridiculous, at least. OK, not much.

I appreciate all the food for thought here, esteemed colleagues!

[Lion]

So...

So, is his investment advisor adding his mileage to NY to the basis of his securities purchased?!

By the way, I love your sweeping arm motions and gestures, very Vanna White-like!

[geekgirldany]

I was in the sorta same position a few years ago. Told firemen coming to me they could not deduct their meals, haircuts, and club dues. My brother who is also a fireman told me to just put it on the Schedule A and show it to them. That they don't understand about not having enough to deduct it anyway.

I told him no I would not do it just to please them. So I told them no to the deductions... and I lost all of them but one.

Now whenever they drive by the office the blow that dang firetruck horn right at my office. Makes me wonder