removeps-groups[at]yahoo.com <removeps-groups[at]yahoo.com> wrote:

- quote -

Allocation of personal expenses for home offices of W-2
employees when not for the convenience of the employer
were not allowed the last time I looked.

If they were to be allowed, every clerk in the country
would have a home office.

Plus without Schedule C income, home office deductions
are unreimbursed employee expenses subject to 2% of AGI.

Dick

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removeps-groups[at]yahoo.com <removeps-groups[at]yahoo.com> wrote:
- quote -

Your faculty space is available to you year round.

If your University has a Business School, talk to the
Tax Professors there for insights into deductions.

Dick

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On Aug 10, 7:23 pm, Bob Sandler <bob_use...[at]yahoo.com> wrote:

- quote -

The home office is just the portion of rent, utility bills, etc that
is allocated to the office part of the home. But other deductions
such as buying new computer parts, repairs for the computer used in
business, office supplies used for business would be deductible.

However, it would be subject to the 2% of AGI limit, as well as AMT,
so might be useless. If the original poster is in AMT then his income
is probably too high for the first time homebuyers credit.

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On Aug 10, 6:14 pm, "Condor" <Con...[at]loosecannon.net> wrote:

- quote -

But does the university furnish office space for the 3 months of
summer?

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- quote -

That eliminates any deduction for a home office. To take the
deduction, the home office must be used *exclusively* for
business. For more details, see the IRS publication that
Condor referred you to.

Bob Sandler

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- quote -

See Kaye Thomas' write-up on Fairmark.com about the new first-time
homebuyer's credit. Your other questions are addressed in IRS Publication
530.

http://www.fairmark.com/news/0807300...yer-credit.htm

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p530.pdf


- quote -

If you are an employee, for starters your home office must be for the
convenience of your employer. Since the university furnishes you office
space, it's highly unlikely you will meet the convenience-of-employer
criterion.

For more information on home office deductions, see IRS Publication 587.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p587.pdf


Condor

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Hi,

I have some questions about tax deductions.

1. I am a first-time home buyer. I understand there is a $7500 tax
credit (http://federalhousingtaxcredit.com) I will be eligible for in
2008 tax return. I plan to buy within the next 6 months. Are there any
other deductions/credits available as a first time home buyer? The
move will be in-state and the property would be about 5 miles from
where I currently live.

2. I teach in a university. During the semester, I am in the
university 2-3 days out of the week (when there are classes). The rest
of the time and during the summer (3 months), I work on my research in
my apartment (I have setup a small mini-office). Are there any
deductions I can make for using a part of my home space as an mini-
office? Note that I am not self-employed nor running a business.
During the day, I'll work on my research, do university work (answer
emails, prepare documents) etc etc in my home-office. At the night, I
might see a movie on the computer (located in the home-office).

For example, I read somewhere you can deduct a certain portion of
utility bills (my home computer is on 24/7 and it is a power hungry
machine (Mac Pro). I do notice a significant reduction in my electric
bill when this machine is turned off for a month (or only used say 2-3
hr/day)). Are there any other deductions I can make here?

Thanks for any information.

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