Tax Time - Job Related Deductions

[Buman]

Its that time of year again and I have what may be a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway. For those that are LEOs what, if any, types of work related items to you claim on your taxes?

[meathead1]

my tax guy is creative.

[TPS]

Its that time of year again and I have what may be a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway. For those that are LEOs what, if any, types of work related items to you claim on your taxes?

pm sent

[Punisher-One]

I wonder if we can write-off our gas to and from work.

[wonka1990]

I wonder if we can write-off our gas to and from work.

I dont know how it works with you guys, but with most if you are part time you are SOL. If you are full time you are SOL. But if you are full time but don't have a permenant placement somewhere and are constantly in different places then you can write it off.

[meathead1]

I wonder if we can write-off our gas to and from work.

my guy writes off portions of car maintenance and payments and my cell phone bill.

[Dirty Harry]

You can write anything off....until they come and audit you. I never take the chance to make that happen.

DH

[CourtOfficer]

I wonder if we can write-off our gas to and from work.

my guy writes off portions of car maintenance and payments and my cell phone bill.

Yikes. What he said. They can write off whatever they like but it's your signature on the tax return. Tread carefully dudeski!

CO

[GoodWitness]

Car maintenance and personal cellphone?!? I think a case could be made for part of the cellphone costs if your service requires you to be constantly reachable and doesn't provide a cellphone, but the car maintenance would be more than a stretch... I guess the same case could be made, re: the car maintenance, for being required to be able to report for duty at all times, but it seems unlikely that CRA would buy that.

For example, if you are a sales rep and have a company car that you only drive for business purposes, the mileage from home to your first customer location for the day (or your head office or other business destination) is still classed as personal use, not business use, and is deemed a taxable benefit.

Look at the TPS members who were all audited and had to pay for free parking as a taxable benefit. Yikes.

[Infidel]

In my experience the best way to get legitimate deductions is start a small home-based business. Find something you like to do anyway (a hobby of some sort), get yourself a business number and be above board with everything. If you like to make things, sell something on e-bay or kijiji, CLAIM the money and use all of the nice deductions for businesses every year.

I've always had a business on the side - I always claim everything I make - the deductions have always made it worthwhile for me. I can claim my internet connection, my cell phone, a home office (heat, lights etc.) and much more.

[meathead1]

I wonder if we can write-off our gas to and from work.

my guy writes off portions of car maintenance and payments and my cell phone bill.

Yikes. What he said. They can write off whatever they like but it's your signature on the tax return. Tread carefully dudeski!

CO

he's ex- CRA. He pushes the line but doesn't cross it. Only deals with coppers and their spouses.
He claims part of my cell phone bill, not all of it- the reason being that I am constantly on the phone with dispatch during my tours and require it for work, but am not provided one by work.

[pukie]

Look at the TPS members who were all audited and had to pay for free parking as a taxable benefit. Yikes.

This is totally false. Nobody was audited. What happened was the CRA requested that the service provide T4's for paid duty income earned dating back to 2007. Officers then had to provide the T4's and any receipts associated with paid duty deductions. Some say it was an audit, but it wasn't.

It had nothing to do with parking. That in itself is whole different bag that has yet to be sorted out.

[CourtOfficer]

Meathead - A while ago, we had guys try to do this and they had to provide a letter from the Chief of Police saying they are required to have a cell phone. Moot point for us now. In our service everyone on the road gets their own Blackberry.

CO

[meathead1]

Moot point for us now. In our service everyone on the road gets their own Blackberry.

CO

not a bad perk.