27 Tax Write-Offs for Freelance Web Developers
NAICS business codeYour NAICS business code is a six-digit string of numbers that shows the type of work your business does. NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. When you do your taxes, you'll enter it in Box B of your Schedule C.541510
Reviewed bySabrina Wiechart, CPASabrina is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over 15 years of experience in tax preparation, planning, and S-Corp compliance. She holds a Master’s in Accounting and specializes in helping self-employed individuals make smart tax decisions. Sabrina is passionate about simplifying the S-Corp process and making sure every client keeps more of what they earn.Coding jargon and different types of programming languages can sound like gibberish to people who aren't developers.
To software developers — and all freelancers, for that matter — the same can be said about IRS rules. The UX you encounter when learning to file your 1099 taxes isn't... always optimal.
Our goal here at Keeper is to make the process easier. Which is why we've compiled this list of write-offs that devs can turn to at tax time. Remember to claim the deductions that apply to you on your Schedule C for significant tax savings!
Any tools you use to develop software for your clients is considered a write-off.
An additional monitor, keyboard, or other accessories you use to code are write-offs.
Educational books to increase your knowledge and skills are tax write-offs.
Educational courses and certifications to enhance your skills are considered tax write-offs.
This covers training that maintains or improves skills for the work you already do. Courses that qualify you for a new trade or profession are not deductible.
If you pay for cloud data storage to store files for work, it's a write-off.
Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, and other website service fees are fully tax-deductible.
Deduct anything you buy for your office, like pens, binders, folders, printer ink, or a whiteboard.
If you buy a phone or laptop and use it for work, it's partially deductible — in proportion to how much you use it for business. The device itself is depreciated on Box 13 (or expensed under Section 179); your monthly service plan belongs on Box 27b, and accessories on Box 22.
Courses, conferences, workshops, and premium listservs: write off anything you pay for to enhance your skills or further your career.
Print and online advertising costs for your business are considered write-offs.
Write off the fees you pay to contract labor to help you complete projects.
Pay any one contractor $600 or more in a year and you'll need to file a Form 1099-NEC for them.
Errors and omissions coverage protects you when a client claims your advice or work caused them a loss — the premiums are deductible.
Fees to renew your license to perform your work are fully deductible.
The cut Stripe, PayPal, Square or your invoicing platform takes on each payment is a write-off.
A desk or membership at a coworking space is deductible as rent, whether you use it instead of a home office or alongside one.
If you drive for work ...
If you use a car for both work and personal purposes, you can write off costs related to the percentage of time you use it for work.
For example, if you spend 5% of your time on the road driving to meet clients, you can write off 5% of your car expenses.
Parking for a meeting downtown, or any other work trip, is tax-deductible!
A toll while driving to or from a work destination is tax-deductible!
If you buy a new car, you can write off part of the cost every year for five years.
Flashlights, tire iron, duct tape, and other tools you may need in your vehicle are deductible.
Car insurance monthly fees, registration, even roadside assistance are partially deductible — if you use the actual expense method. The standard mileage rate already covers them.
Oil changes, repairs, and regular checkups are deductible if you use the actual expense method. Take the standard mileage rate instead and they're already baked into your per-mile deduction.
If you discuss work at a restaurant ...
Clients, hired contractors, UX/UI designers, or fellow developers are all people you might visit a restaurant with to talk about work.
In cases like these, you can write off what you pay for the meal.
If you discuss work with a coworker, mentor, client, or prospective client, it's a write-off — 50% of the tab.
If you leave town for work ...
Don't forget to include travel expenses in your write-offs if you head out of town for work-related purposes like a meeting with a client or a software development conference.
Planes, trains, and car rentals are all work-related travel costs that can be written off.
When you travel for work, lodging expenses such as hotel rooms or Airbnb are write-offs.
When you're traveling for work, your meals are 50% deductible — takeout included. (Long-haul truck drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules can deduct 80%.)
If you work from home ...
Writing code, creating tech designs, reading up on new technologies, and working on marketing your services are all things you might do from an at-home workspace. They also allow you to write off expenses associated with working from home, like a portion of your internet bill or property insurance.
A desk, chairs, lamps, and other home office necessities are all tax write-offs. Anything over about $2,500 gets depreciated on Form 4562 instead of written off all at once.
Repairs just for your home office are 100% deductible. Repairs to the rest of your home count too, prorated by your business-use percentage on Form 8829.
Gotta keep the lights on in your home office! A portion of your electricity bill counts.
Whether it's rental or homeowners insurance, you can write off a portion through your home office deduction.
It'd be hard to work in an office without running water, huh? Your water bill counts.
You need internet to do your job! If you claim a home office, deduct it prorated on Form 8829 along with your other utilities. Internet you pay for on the road, purely for work, is 100% deductible.
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