How do I enter Food as Fuel as a Self-Employed Bike Messenger into TurboTax?

[drew-macmillan]

Description of Tax credit

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/slprtnr/rprtng/t2125/ln8523-eng.html

Extra food and beverages consumed by self-employed foot and bicycle couriers and rickshaw drivers

Self-employed foot and bicycle couriers and rickshaw drivers can deduct the cost of the extra food and beverages they must consume in a normal working day (8 hours) because of the nature of their work.

The daily flat rate that can be claimed is $17.50.

If you are claiming this deduction you should be prepared to provide log books showing the days worked and the hours worked on each of these days during the tax year. The CRA may also ask for dispatch slips or other documents to support the days worked during the tax year.

By using this flat rate deduction, you will not be required to maintain or submit receipts for the extra meal and beverage consumed.

If you want to claim more than the flat-rate amount, the Canada Revenue Agency will also need:

• supporting receipts for all food and beverages claimed; and
• something that clearly shows the extra amount of food and beverages required because of the nature of your work, and how this amount exceeds what the average person would consume both in terms of cost and quantity.

[drew-macmillan]

Awesome. Thanks, to clarify, do I put this under Meals and Entertainment, or under Other Expenses?

[TaxHelp5 · Accepted solution]

In order to get the correct allowable daily flat rate to appear for the allowable portion you will need to claim double the amount because the program automatically calculates only 50% as allowable. So enter in $35 as your calculated daily rate (times number of days allowed) and the program will reduce that by 50% to arrive at your daily flat rate that can be claimed of $17.50 (times number of days allowed).

[drew-macmillan]

Awesome. Thanks, to clarify, do I put this under Meals and Entertainment, or under Other Expenses?

[TaxHelp5]

Meal & entertainment