Self Employed List of Available Business Deduction

 It costs money to make money, and much of what business owners spend on their companies — their business expenses — can be deducted from their gross income to reduce their taxes. The list of deductible business expenses includes obvious ones like office rent, salaries and computers, but might also include water bills and window cleaning.

Read on to find information about deductions that can help your business save on taxes.

List of Business Expense Categories

The IRS says a business expense must be ordinary, necessary and directly related to running a company to be deductible. Most business expenses fall into specific categories. Schedule C, the IRS form which sole proprietors use to report their income, lists 20 broad business expense categories that include:

• Advertising
• Car and truck expenses
• Commissions and fees, contract labor
• Depletion
• Depreciation and section 179 expense deduction
• Employee benefit programs
• Insurance, interest
• Legal and professional services
• Office expense
• Pension and profit-sharing plans
• Rent or lease
• Repairs and maintenance
• Supplies
• Taxes and licenses
• Travel and meals
• Utilities
• Wages

Categorizing expenses is an important part of keeping good business records. The IRS wants business expenses accounted for and reported in the correct categories so it can determine if the deductions are legitimate. Categorizing expenses correctly will also mean a smaller bill from your accountant at tax time.

Time to Gather Your Tax Documents - 2021

 Tax filing step 1: Gather all year-end income documents

Tax Season 2021 is upon us.  Now is the time to start gathering your tax documents.

As taxpayers are getting ready to file their taxes, the first thing they should do is gather their records. To avoid processing delays that may slow their refund, taxpayers should gather all year-end income documents before filing a 2021 tax return.

It's important for people to have all the necessary documents before starting to prepare their return. This helps them file a complete and accurate tax return. Here are some things taxpayers need to have before they begin doing their taxes.

• Social Security numbers of everyone listed on the tax return. Many taxpayers have these numbers memorized. Still, it's a good idea to have them on hand to double check that the numbers on the tax return are correct. An SSN with one number wrong or two numbers switched will cause processing delays.
 
• Bank account and routing numbers. People will need these for direct deposit refunds. Direct Deposit is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their money and avoids a check getting lost, stolen or returned to IRS as undeliverable.

• Don't have a bank account? Learn how to open an account at an FDIC - Insured Bank or through the National Credit Union. Veterans can access the Veterans Benefits Banking Program.

• Forms W-2 from employer(s).

• Forms 1099 from banks, issuing agencies and other payers including unemployment compensation, dividends, distributions from a pension, annuity or retirement plan.

• Form 1099-K, 1099-MISC, W-2 or other income statement for workers in the gig economy.

• Form 1099-INT for interest received.

• Other income documents and records of virtual currency transactions.

• Forms 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement. Taxpayers will need this form to reconcile advance payments or claim the premium tax credit.

• Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit Payments, to reconcile advance child tax credit payments.

• Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment, to determine eligibility to claim the recovery rebate credit.

Forms usually start arriving by mail or are available online from employers and financial institutions in January. Taxpayers should review them carefully. If any information shown on the forms is inaccurate, the taxpayer should contact the payer ASAP for a correction.

For more on this, please contact your accountant.