Business & Investing
Sponsored by

Moving Expenses Deduction question

879 Views | 5 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by VikingNik
VikingNik
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
So I moved from VA to WA this past year and am wondering what all I can deduct.

Movers - 12k
Car Shipping 1.1k
Plane Tickets 1k
Cost for extra bags & dog 200-ish
Hotel that first night at the airport - $150

Rental car until my car showed up? $300-ish

How about the Air B&B's and hotels I stayed at until I closed on a new house? I'm guessing not but would be awesome if it did cuz I got like $7k burned here over the 3 months this took.

Thanks.
combat wombat™
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
IRS Publication 521 - Moving Expenses


Quote:

If you meet the requirements discussed earlier under Who Can Deduct Moving Expenses, you can deduct the reasonable expenses of:

Moving your household goods and personal effects (including in-transit or foreign-move storage expenses), and

Traveling (including lodging but not meals) to your new home. You can't deduct any expenses for meals. Reasonable expenses.

You can deduct only those expenses that are reasonable for the circumstances of your move. For example, the cost of traveling from your former home to your new one should be by the shortest, most direct route available by conventional transportation. If, during your trip to your new home, you stop over, or make side trips for sightseeing, the additional expenses for your stopover or side trips aren't deductible as moving expenses.

I would think that if the expenses are "reasonable" and your employer did not reimburse for any of your expenses that everything you listed would be deductible. Make sure not to include meals.

Quote:

How about the Air B&B's and hotels I stayed at until I closed on a new house? I'm guessing not but would be awesome if it did cuz I got like $7k burned here over the 3 months this took.

I don't think these would be deductible. However, take a look at Publication 521. Note that house hunting costs are NOT deductible.

I am a CPA, but not your CPA. I don't know whether the expenses you have listed are "reasonable". I would recommend that your take a quick look at the publication I have linked. It's not a hard read - just look at a table of contents to determine what you need to look at.
VikingNik
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Thanks for the answer. I am assuming from reading that publication that even the month where I was doubled up on housing costs can't be deducted. I guess that makes sense because some still gets caught up in the mortgage interest deduction.
gigemhilo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Agree with the wombat. Everything but your house hunting expenses are gtg.
VikingNik
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
One last tax question:

For deductions I can deduct state income tax for my time in VA through 4/15 and after in WA with no state income tax I can deduct sales tax right? I have a car purchase in WA that had 3k in taxes. Obviously this will be answered once I enter all this stuff, just steeling myself for any surprises.
combat wombat™
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
The WA tax deduction would be either income tax OR the sales tax, I believe.

VikingNik
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah, that really kinda sucks. Should be in my scenario state income tax through 4/15 and then sales tax deduction in WA for rest of year. Income tax in VA barely won out but means I left at least $4400 on the table. Lesson is move early or late in the year.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.