Show notes
Are you missing out on the home office deduction because you think your workspace doesn’t qualify?
In this episode, Mike Jesowshek explains who qualifies for the home office deduction and how to calculate it using either the simplified or actual expense method. He also breaks down the regular and exclusive use rules, how the deduction differs for sole proprietors and S Corporation owners, and why a qualifying home office could unlock additional business mileage deductions.
You’ll learn how to choose the right calculation method, document your workspace, avoid common mistakes, and turn expenses you’re already paying into a legitimate business tax deduction.
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00:00 How the Home Office Deduction Works
The home office deduction allows business owners to turn a portion of expenses they’re already paying, including rent, utilities, insurance, and homeownership costs, into legitimate business deductions.
02:20 Who Qualifies for a Home Office Deduction?
A qualifying workspace must be used regularly and exclusively for business. It doesn’t need to be an entire room, but the separation between business and personal use must be clear.
04:15 What Counts as Your Principal Place of Business?
Your home doesn’t need to be the only place where you work. A home office may qualify if you regularly use it for administrative or management activities such as bookkeeping, scheduling, invoicing, planning, and customer follow-ups.
06:30 The Simplified Home Office Deduction
The simplified method provides a deduction of $5 per qualifying square foot, up to 300 square feet. It requires less recordkeeping but limits the maximum annual deduction to $1,500.
08:50 How the Actual Expense Method Works
The actual method calculates your deduction using the percentage of your home used for business. It may include a portion of rent, mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities, insurance, repairs, cleaning, and depreciation.
10:50 Simplified vs. Actual Expenses
The simplified method may be easier, but the actual method can produce a significantly larger deduction. Business owners should calculate both methods each year before deciding which one to use.
11:35 How to Claim the Deduction Based on Your Business Structure
Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs generally claim the deduction through Schedule C and Form 8829. S Corporation owners typically need an accountable plan to reimburse themselves properly for home office expenses.
13:40 How a Home Office Can Unlock Business Mileage
A qualifying home office may establish the starting point of your business day. This can allow trips from your home office to clients, suppliers, job sites, or other business locations to qualify as deductible business mileage rather than commuting.
15:30 Common Home Office Deduction Mistakes
Personal use of the workspace, estimated measurements, missing housing records, and incorrect treatment based on business structure can weaken or eliminate the deduction.
16:30 Your Home Office Deduction Checklist
Photograph and measure your workspace, confirm your home’s total square footage, collect your annual housing expenses, compare both calculation methods, and document how the deduction will be handled based on your entity type.
17:50 Equipment and Other Home Office Deductions
Computers, desks, cameras, microphones, and other business equipment should generally be analyzed separately. The home office calculation focuses on the cost of the qualifying physical space rather than the equipment used to operate the business.
18:25 How to Make Your Home Office Deduction Defensible
The goal isn’t to claim your entire home as a business expense. It’s to identify the portion legitimately used for business, document it properly, choose the best calculation method, and revisit the deduction each year.
Podcast Host:
Mike Jesowshek, CPA – Founder and Host of Small Business Tax Savings Podcast
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