Meal Deduction
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I was going to preemptively post, but you beat me.
No. It’s for meals away from the tax home. The IRS has been very clear in this position, including specifically with Air Traffic Controllers. See for example GENIN-155125-01 which specifically holds that in-town meals for an Air Traffic Controller are not deductible. It's at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/02-0020.pdf
No. It’s for meals away from the tax home. The IRS has been very clear in this position, including specifically with Air Traffic Controllers. See for example GENIN-155125-01 which specifically holds that in-town meals for an Air Traffic Controller are not deductible. It's at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/02-0020.pdf
rugbydog11
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I deducted 66% of it this year. First time ever doing it. I've heard stories of audits with nothing due back. Audits with money due back. And no audits. I dont know why the rule says control tower operators, but I will hold on to the money just in case to pay back.
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Huh thats funny, no lie, on the NATCA Member site there are more than a few controllers who have been audited and each time it is allowed (auditor says it was ok) for them to deduct their meals. I have been doing it now for I believe 6 or 7 years and will again this year. So yes EVERY YEAR this comes up and EVERY YEAR its a back and forth thing, lol.
breakaway2000
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Like MJ and Uscolt45, it's a black and white issue. It's not allowed. The odds of you being audited making less then 150k are extremely small. Unless overly egregious, the IRS simply does not stand to gain how much it would cost to audit people who fall under this category. It's no different then lying on a number of other deductions. Will you get caught? Probably not. Will I take the chance? No.
Mike Kilo
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I’d also be concerned with changing how I file to include it. Already eight years without, might throw up flags. I knew a sup that was audited by a state for claiming it and is going to have to repay it I believe.
For those that do, how much does it change your tax liability?
For those that do, how much does it change your tax liability?
Mike Kilo
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So if I understand you were audited and because your house purchase was away from your current facility, and because of that they allowed you to claim it since on paper you appeared to be “away from home”?
That and I still had residency in my home state, which was key. Mailing address was there and all that. I had never changed it to where I was working, figuring I'd be home soon. I was in a super temporary housing situation near the tower I was working aka definitely not 'residency'
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I first found out about the meal deduction from my friend at another facility who works with a controller who's a former IRS agent and said it was good to go. To each their own. I did it last year for the first time. Probably going to do it this year too.
rugbydog11
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Can I Deduct 50% or 80% of my Meals and Entertainment Expenses on my Schedule C? Knowledgebase
this says we can... nobody knows.
this says we can... nobody knows.
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The rule that everyone is hung up on because it says "control tower operator" isn't some special exemption for those jobs. All it does is raise the limit of a deduction that already exists; business meals and expenses. That is the criteria that determines weather it can be taken. Unless you are being required to travel somewhere, for the FAA, and are not reimbursed (IE: per diem), deduction does not apply to a controller anymore than it does a Walmart cashier. This is primarily for flight crews. The letter linked above isn't a random post on the internet, it is written by an IRS researcher.
This is not a valid deduction rules are clear but I deducted anyway. You can deduct anything you want and if your not audited then you get away with it, I have been audited 3 times since I became a controller, first time the guy asked and I said I was from X state but living in Y state while I train he said fine and didn't look into it any more, second time the guy disallowed and I had to back pay 3 years worth, third time I never claimed cuz the 2nd time but asked about it and that guy agreed with the second. Third guy explained I should have paid the first time as well cuz I was living and working in the same state requardless, he went as far as to say even if you are on temp detail you are not allowed.
Mike Kilo
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People are deducting more than the standard deduction in meals alone with this rule. Everything else you deduct takes you a bit further. This dropped my taxes owed by about 1500. (I probably won’t claim it, as I don’t like gambling.)
vectorwagon
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Here we go again - I’ve been hearing this is not available this year. I myself have never claimed it, only found out two yrs ago after filing and didn’t do it last year...was considering jumping on the bandwagon with the people who swear up down and backwards we are good for it.
But I spoke with a tax person who said they have done away with that deduction. Anyone else hear this?
But I spoke with a tax person who said they have done away with that deduction. Anyone else hear this?
Dontbotherme
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I was goofing off on TurboTax and it wouldn’t let me take it. I’ll have to ask my accountant, when I visit, in the middle of February.
