Can I deduct cost of internet and electricity etc when working from home?

Thank you for choosing TurboTax. For salaried employee, you can definitely deduct internet and electricity costs.

You can claim the following expenses if you are a salaried employee:

• Rent paid for a house or apartment where you live.
• Utilities such as electricity, water, heat, or the utilities portion of your condominium fees
• Maintenance (minor repairs, cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paint, etc.)
• Home internet access fees
• Office supplies (stationery items, pens, folders, sticky notes, postage, toner, ink cartridge, etc.)
• Employment use of a basic cell phone service plan
• long-distance calls for employment purposes

 

For commissioned employees: 

• property taxes
• home insurance
• lease of equipment such as a cell phone, computer, laptop, tablet, fax machine, etc. that reasonably relate to earning commission income

All of the allowable expenses have to be prorated to the portion of the house you are using. For example; if you have a 5-room house, and you are using one room, you prorate by 1/5.

 

For further clarification please refer to our following blogs: 

You Can Claim $400 In Expenses If You Worked From Home Due To COVID-19

Can I Deduct Work-At-Home Expenses?

 

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