Is Loan Origination Fee Tax Deductible

There are two different ways of deducting automobile expenses: actual expenses or mileage deduction. Many business owners choose to use a standard mileage deduction each year because it is easier to keep mileage logs than to keep track of every expense. But, according to NOLO legal information website, you will normally receive a higher deduction if you itemize all your actual expenses.

Deductions for Mileage

Each year, the IRS sets an amount that can be deducted per mile. For the year 2010, the mileage deduction was $0.50 per mile for business use. In 2011, the mileage rate will increase to $0.51. There are different rates based on the reason you are using your vehicle. For example, you can deduct $0.165 per mile when using your car for medical appointments or for moving and $0.14 if driving for charitable organizations.

In order to take advantage of the mileage deduction, you should keep a log of the miles driven while conducting business. Your log should contain the date, the beginning odometer reading, the ending odometer reading, total miles driven and the purpose of the trip. At the end of the year, you can add up the total miles driven for business and multiply this amount by the mileage deduction. This will be your deduction on your tax form. Remember to keep your log with your tax paperwork. If you are audited, you will need to show your log to the auditors.