susan_allen•26d agoTop Commenter

Update: My accountant said I was losing about $300 a month by not tracking my mileage right.

I was just writing down the total miles at the end of the week, but he showed me the IRS wants a log with the date, purpose, and start/end odometer for each trip. I switched to a simple app and my quarterly tax payment dropped by almost a grand. How do you guys keep your mileage logs without it being a huge pain?

4 comments

4 Comments

dianawilson17d ago

My old boss at the hardware store ran his work truck for fifteen years and only ever used a paper notebook for mileage. He got audited twice and the IRS accepted it both times because he was consistent and wrote down details like "delivery to job site on Maple St." The key is making entries right when you park, not at the end of the week. I use a small notebook in my cup holder and it takes ten seconds. I don't trust apps to always have service or battery.

fisher.jessica26d ago

My buddy's mechanic got audited and they tossed out a whole year of his mileage deductions. He just had a notebook with numbers. The IRS guy said it looked like he made it up in one sitting. He uses an app now that tracks it automatically with GPS.

patel.eric26d ago

Used to think a simple log book was good enough for the IRS. Figured writing down miles was fine if you were honest. Hearing that story changed my mind completely. Now I see why they want proof that's hard to fake. An app with GPS makes sense because it leaves a real trail. I wouldn't risk using just a notebook anymore.

kimdixon26d ago

I was the same way for years, just jotting down miles in a planner. That story about the mechanic's audit really hits home. It shows how the IRS looks at a handwritten log as just numbers on a page, with no real proof of where you drove. Switching to a GPS tracker gives you that solid backup you can't argue with. It's one less thing to worry about if they ever come asking.