Ask an Accountant

A free tool by

Question
Can I deduct car mileage, phone bill, gas receipts, new tires, car maintenance, car insurance and tolls on my SE form?
AI accountant’s answer:

If you have self-employment income, yes, but it’s an either-or situation.You have two options when writing off your car: business mileage or actual costs. You have to pick one or the other.

  1. The business mileage deduction is a flat rate of $0.56 per mile for 2021. The IRS releases a new standard mileage rate every year that is intended to cover the cost of depreciation, fuel, repairs, insurance, etc.
  2. The actual costs method lets you write-off your what you actually paid for fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc, as well as depreciate your vehicle over its useful life.

For more in-depth instructions on how to write-off your auto expenses, check out our Guide to Car Deductions.

Note: tolls and parking fees are fully deductible under both methods.

No answer given yet!

Answer

If you have self-employment income, yes, but it’s an either-or situation.You have two options when writing off your car: business mileage or actual costs. You have to pick one or the other.

  1. The business mileage deduction is a flat rate of $0.56 per mile for 2021. The IRS releases a new standard mileage rate every year that is intended to cover the cost of depreciation, fuel, repairs, insurance, etc.
  2. The actual costs method lets you write-off your what you actually paid for fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc, as well as depreciate your vehicle over its useful life.

For more in-depth instructions on how to write-off your auto expenses, check out our Guide to Car Deductions.

Note: tolls and parking fees are fully deductible under both methods.

No answer given yet!

Keeper Staff

Keeper is a delightfully smart tax filing software that's especially useful for people with 1099 contracting and freelance income. Our blog breaks down IRS guidance with real-world examples and analysis by tax professionals — empowering taxpayers to save money and take control of their finances.

Followup question? Ask away.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Got a different question? Ask our accountants.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Estimate tax saving

Track and claim every eligible deduction with Keeper

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.