20 Tax Write-Offs for Travel Nurses
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.621399
Reviewed bya tax professionalThis content has been reviewed by an Enrolled Agent (EA) with the IRS — the highest credential awarded by the agency. Enrolled Agents are empowered to represent all taxpayers before the IRS, on all types of tax-related matters. Accountants who earn this certification have passed a comprehensive three-part exam on individual and business tax returns. To maintain EA status, they must stay up to date in the field by completing 72 hours of continuing education every three years.We get it, nurses have enough on their plate — especially these days. After spending all day in an understaffed health care facility, who has time to think about something like taxes? For travel nurses, especially, the stress is even higher.
Luckily, it’s easier than ever to find work on platforms like Nursa, CareRev, and ShiftKey — and to claim all the tax breaks you're due as a travel nurse, because we've gathered them together for you. So get on these savings, STAT, before you overpay on your next tax bill!
Deduct anything you buy for your office, like pens, binders, folders, printer ink, or a whiteboard.
Any uniforms you're required to wear on the job are considered tax-deductible.
These policies protect you from malpractice lawsuits — you need them for work. That makes them tax-deductible.
Subscribe to journals like The International Journal of Nursing Studies or The Journal of American Nursing? Consider that a work-related education write-off.
If you drive for work ...
Don't forget to write off car-related expenses if you drive for work. This might include driving to patient meetings, local conferences, or even to pick up medical or office supplies.
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.
Oil changes, repairs, and regular checkups are all tax-deductible if you drive for work.
If you discuss work at a restaurant ...
Grabbing food or drinks with mentors, patients, or fellow healthcare workers to talk about work is considered a business meal and can be written off your taxes.
What's more, you don't need to hold on to your physical receipts to claim your business meal expenses (unless you spent over $75 in cash). For the IRS, bank and credit card statements are good enough!
If you discuss work with a coworker, mentor, client, or prospective client, it's a write-off!
If you leave town for work ...
As a travel nurse, you can claim all the out-of-pocket expenses you incur during short-term contracts, as long as you're there for less than a year and you maintain a tax home.
Your tax home is essentially a regular base of operations at your permanent address, where you're still paying rent or a mortgage — even if you're often working in a totally different state. You keep most of your stuff there, and your partner or family may still live there. It's also where you're registered to vote, and where your tax documents get sent.
If you have a tax home, you can write off any unreimbursed costs you're forced to pay when you're on a contract — including that furnished apartment you rent. (Again, that's assuming you don't get a stipend or reimbursement.)
You can also write off travel expenses if you head to another city where you aren't even working for a nursing conference or workshop. That's also considered business travel, so you can claim expenses like your hotel and lodging.
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, all meals are tax-deductible. Even takeout!
If you work from home ...
This one's less common for travel nurses. But say you accept a contract in your home city. If you regularly do some of your work from a dedicated workstation in your home, you'll be eligible to write off home office expenses for the months you live in your home city.
A desk, chairs, lamps, and other home office necessities are all tax write-offs.
You can write off up to $2,500 for individual repairs to your property.
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.
Your Comcast bill is a tax write-off. You need internet to do your job!
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