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PSA: The 'business expense' for that fancy coffee machine is NOT the same as a tax deduction
I keep seeing freelancers online bragging about writing off their $800 espresso setup because they 'work from home'. My accountant in Austin laughed for a solid minute when I asked about mine last year. Has anyone else had a tax pro shoot down what you thought was a genius write-off?
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davidshah12d ago
Wasn't a coffee machine a legit business expense? My accountant sure set me straight.
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kimblack13d ago
My tax guy said the same thing about my new desk chair.
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schmidt.iris12d ago
Stapling a receipt to your return is a bad idea. The IRS gets those papers scanned by a machine. A staple can jam it. They might have to manually process it, which flags it for a closer look. Always just attach receipts with a paperclip if you mail it. Better to keep it with your records and not send it at all unless they ask.
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Did he tell you to keep the receipt? I stapled mine to last year's return and wrote "home office" on it in pen. The IRS hasn't called yet, so maybe that worked.
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