How picky is the home office deduction?
January 23rd, 2012 → 8:40 am @ Carol // No Comments
This may seem like a really stupid question, but the exclusive use of space for a home office deduction, does that mean that the business owner can’t do any personal business in that space, like make personal phone calls, do personal things on the computer/internet, have personal files in the area, pay personal bills, etc?
Pam D
Here’s some advice from the TurboTax website:
“The rule doesn’t mean you’re forbidden to make a personal phone call from the office, or that you have to rush outside whenever a family member needs a moment of your time. Although individual IRS auditors may be more or less strict on this point, some advisors say you meet the spirit of the exclusive-use test as long as personal activities invade the home office no more than they would be permitted at an office building.”
Additionally, the Nolo website states this:
Exclusive use. Exclusive use means that you use a portion of your home only for business. If you use a room of your home for your business and also for personal purposes, you don’t meet the exclusive use test. However, you can set aside a portion of a larger room to be used only for business, as long as your personal activities don’t stray into it.
I hope that helps,
Carol Topp, CPA
Tags: home office, home office tax deduction, IRS, tax deductions, taxes