28 Tax Write-Offs for Freelance Recruiters
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.561300
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.As a freelance recruiter, you spend a lot of your time helping companies find candidates that are "the right fit." But do you also know how to spot qualified tax deductions?
The cost of a ticket to a networking event, email marketing software, or setting up a stall at a job fair can be claimed on your Schedule C to lower your tax bill.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Read on for our list of common write-offs for recruiters!
Tickets and entry fees to networking events to grow your client base can be written off.
Software for CRM, lead generation, or email marketing is a write-off.
Write off any email marketing software like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign.
Deduct anything you buy for your office, like pens, binders, folders, printer ink, or a whiteboard.
Software for scheduling or hosting meetings, like Zoom or Calendly, is tax-deductible.
Print and online advertising costs for your business are considered write-offs.
Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, and other website service fees are fully tax-deductible.
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.
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.
Deduct fees to set up a table at a job fair so you can recruit.
If you have to pay to post a job listing online, you can write off this expense.
A subscription to LinkedIn Premium for recruiting is tax-deductible.
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.
Fees for required background checks to do your job are deductible.
If you belong to any professional organizations, you can write off the dues.
The share of your dues that goes toward lobbying isn't deductible — your organization can tell you what percentage that is.
If you drive for work ...
Driving to pick up office supplies or to attend a networking event, job fair, or seminar? Don't forget to write off 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 ...
Dining expenses are partially deductible when they're incurred for business purposes. This includes meeting with a potential hire or fellow recruiter to talk about work-related matters.
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 ...
Attending a recruiting conference or networking event in another city? As long as you need to stop for sleep or rest before heading home, you can write off the travel costs.
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 ...
As a recruiter, you might work from an at-home desk on a number of things, such as:
Attending virtual recruitment events
Conducting first-round interviews over Zoom
Creating ads for new job postings
Keeping up-to-date with industry advances in recruiting tech, DEI, and more
If this applies to you, remember to write off part of your home office expenses.
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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