Thanks all. I thought that was the case (that I just deduct
what the mileage would have been had I not run the personal
errand). Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something
and/or over/under thinking it.

Jeff

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"Jeff" <jscoope...[at]gmail.com> wrote:

- quote -

IF you maintain an office in your home, you would deduct 2
miles. If not, its commuting, and you deduct no miles.

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You deduct what the mileage would have been (provided you
can calculate it) without the personal detour.

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"Jeff" <jscooper22[at]gmail.com> wrote

- quote -

Don't think too hard. Your deduction is the two miles that
are business related. The additional miles are personal in
nature and not deductible.

As far as I care, the same two miles would be business
related if the cleaners are next door to the client and you
walked over and picked up your laundry before or after
meeting with the client.

Now, a sly auditor would look for a pattern of meeting with
that client on a regular basis (like when your shirts are
ready).

--
Paul Thomas, CPA
paulthomascpapc[at]bellsouth.net

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jscooper22[at]gmail.com (Jeff) posted:

- quote -

First of all, unless your home is your primary business
location (office in your home), your travel to your client's
location from your home is considered _commuting_, and not
expensable. (See Pub 17, page 171, Figure 26-B, for an
illustration of this principle.)

If your home is your sole place of business, then the travel
to that site would be a legitimate expense IMO -- but, in
any event, any extra mileage added for personal purposes
would definitely _not_ be proper.

Bill

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I can't seem to find a straight answer at the IRS site (or
anywhere else) on this one:

I'm a consultant. Say I have a client that's a mile (for
easy math) from my house. I'm going out to my client when
my wife calls and asks me to run to the cleaners, which is 1
mile in another direction. So, during my drive, I travel 4
miles: 1 to the client, 2 from the client to cleaners, 1
from the cleaners to home.

Now, do I deduct what the travel WOULD have been had I not
made the side trip (2 miles to and from the client)? the
whole trip since business was part of it? From home to
client to cleaners?

Thanks,

Jeff

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