Standard Mileage Rates
The standard mileage rates enable a taxpayer using a vehicle for specified purposes to deduct vehicle expenses on a per mile basis rather than deducting actual car expenses that are incurred during the year. The rates vary, depending on the purpose of the transportation. Accordingly, the standard mileage rates differ from one another depending on whether the vehicle is used for business, charitable purposes, obtaining medical care or relocating for employment.
It is very important that taxpayers keep accurate records when it come to deducting these uses of their personal vehicles in the form of mileage and or receipts for actual expenses.
Business Use of a Taxpayer’s Personal Vehicle
A taxpayer may deduct un-reimbursed employee expenses, including un-reimbursed expenses related to business use of a personal vehicle as “miscellaneous itemized deductions” to the extent the total of such expenses exceeds 2% of his or her adjusted gross income. In order for the expenses to be deductible, however, they must meet certain criteria. Thus, for expenses in connection with a vehicle’s business use to be deductible, such expenses must have been paid or incurred during the tax year for the ordinary and necessary purpose of carrying on the taxpayer’s trade or business as an employee, provided the paid or incurred personal vehicle expenses meeting these three criteria are not reimbursed. The deductible personal vehicle expenses include traveling:
1. Between workplaces;
2. To meet with a business customer;
3. To attend a business meeting located away from the taxpayer’s regular workplace; or from the taxpayer’s home to a temporary place of work.
The 2015 standard mileage rate applicable to deduction of eligible personal vehicle expenses incurred while the vehicle is being used in an employer’s business is 57.5¢ per mile. In addition to using the standard mileage rate, a taxpayer may also deduct any business related parking fees and tolls paid while engaging in deductible business travel. However, parking fees paid by a taxpayer to park his or her vehicle at the usual place of business are considered commuting expenses and are not deductible.
Use of a Personal Vehicle for Charitable Purposes
A taxpayer may deduct as a charitable contribution any un-reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses, such as the cost of gas and oil, directly related to the use of a personal vehicle in providing services to a charitable organization. Alternatively, a taxpayer may use the standard mileage rate applicable to the use of a personal vehicle for charitable purposes. For 2015, the standard mileage rate for a taxpayer’s use of a personal vehicle for charitable purposes is 14¢ per mile. As in the case of other mileage deductions, the taxpayer may also deduct parking fees and tolls regardless of whether the actual expenses or standard mileage rate is used.
A related issue involves a taxpayer’s travel expenses incurred in providing services to a charity. Thus, in addition, a taxpayer may generally claim a charitable contribution deduction for travel expenses necessarily incurred while away from home performing services for a charitable organization provided there is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel, and the taxpayer must be on duty in a genuine and substantial sense throughout the trip.
Use of Personal Vehicle to Obtain Medical Care
A taxpayer may also deduct medical and dental expenses to the extent the total of such expenses exceed 10% of adjusted gross income for taxpayers younger than age 65 or 7.5% for taxpayers age 65 and older. The threshold for taxpayers age 65 or older remains at 7.5% through 2016, but beginning in 2017, medical and dental expenses will be deductible, regardless of the age of the taxpayer, only if they exceed 10% of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income.
The vehicle expenses a taxpayer may include as medical and dental expenses are the amounts paid for transportation to obtain medical care for the taxpayer, a spouse or a dependent. A taxpayer may also include as medical and dental expenses those transportation costs incurred:
1. By a parent who must accompany a child needing medical care;
2. By a nurse or other person who can administer injections, medications or other treatment required by a patient traveling to obtain medical care and unable to travel alone.
3.For regular visits to see a mentally-ill dependent, if such visits are recommended as a part of the mentally ill dependent’s treatment.
A taxpayer who uses a personal vehicle for such medical reasons is permitted to include the out-of-pocket vehicle expenses incurred the expenses for gas and oil, for example or deduct medical travel expenses at the standard medical mileage rate. For 2015, the standard medical mileage rate is 23¢ per mile. The taxpayer may also deduct any parking fees or tolls, regardless of whether actual expense or the standard mileage rate is used.
Use of a Taxpayer’s Personal Vehicle to Move
Many taxpayers change their residence each year, and many of those taxpayer relocations involve new jobs that can permit a taxpayer to deduct moving expenses by car. Thus, certain moving expenses incurred within one year of the date a taxpayer first reported to work at a new main job location, provided the new location is at least 50 miles farther from the taxpayer’s former home than the former main job location may be deducted as an adjustment to gross income. The deductible moving expenses include the expenses of traveling to a new home, including transportation and lodging en-route.
A taxpayer who uses his or her personal vehicle to transport the taxpayer, members of the taxpayer’s household or the taxpayer’s personal effects to a new home may deduct such costs, provided the move is eligible for the deduction of moving expenses. In addition to any parking fees and tolls paid, the taxpayer is permitted to deduct the actual vehicle expenses incurred, such as the expenses for gas and oil or the standard mileage rate. The standard mileage rate for 2015 applicable to moving expenses is 23¢ per mile.