Tax Write-Off for Plane Ticket to Iowa for Shows?

[rayday]

I am going to be flying home to Iowa for the month of December. I have 5 shows set up so far and am hoping for more . I know I have read a few things about making plane tickets a tax write off. I was wondering since I am doing some shows if a portion or all of my plane ticket can be claimed as a business expense? Does anyone know how to go about this or any information on it.

Thanks!

 

[jenniferlynne]

I took Accounting and Tax classes, and I am almost positive the whole thing can be written off. When I sold Mary Kay, I bought a ticket to go to a confrence and then wasn't able to go. My Accountant told me to hang onto it for a year incase I used it to go somewhere else. He said if I didn't use it, then to turn it in the next year on my taxes.

 

[Pamperedcheffkg]

ClarificationI am an accountant and have my Masters in Accounting and am an accountant and tax preparer. You may NOT write off the entire plance ticket to Iowa. Since you are going to Iowa for pleasure as well as business, you can only write off a portion of the ticket (use the % of time you are in Iowa for business as the same percentage to write off your ticket). The previous post about how she wrote off a ticket for a conference is not the same thing. That trip was for 100% business. It is not conceivable that you bought that plane ticket JUST to do Pampered Chef shows, and thats how the IRS would see it if you were ever audited.

 

[fruit76loop]

Yes, you are able to write the plane ticket off. It is business related. Just like conferences and stuff. Also remember you can write off 50% of your meals on travel, cab fare, car rentals, hotel etc.

 

[Pamperedcheffkg]

Be careful

Yes, you are able to write the plane ticket off. It is business related. Just like conferences and stuff. Also remember you can write off 50% of your meals on travel, cab fare, car rentals, hotel etc.

I advise you to be careful of that. The trip is not 100% business related so you CANNOT write the whole ticket off nor any meals, travel, cab fare, rentals, hotels, etc that are related to NON BUSINESS related activities. Again, I would be careful. If is not reasonable to beleive that a consultant would fly to a nother state to host a kitchen show and if your expenses in the travel category are too high as a direct selling business, your tax return will be flagged by the IRS, that's the last thing you want to deal with.

I would reccommend seeking out a tax professional and ask these questions rather than go by what people say on this site who have no tax training and experience. (which I have but you don;t know me so I would reccomend talking in person to someone so you can be safe)

 

[rayday]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was just wanting to make sure at least a portion would be able to be claimed before I went to a professional. I always do my husband and I's taxes but if this was the case I thought it would be worth it to get them done this year. I want to get the most for my return but I DEFINETLY do not want any friendly IRS people calling me

Thanks again

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

I used to be a tax preprarer for H&R Block and you cant claim the whole ticket. now anything that you do for the show you can claim. I learned the hard way about the IRS. my husband used to install satelites and we didnt know how to go about doing the taxes and the person who did them didnt have a clue either and we got audited. it took 2 months to get it all worked out and get our refund. i would go to a personal accountant and let them sort through it all. give it to someone who knows what they are doing and has the time to do it right....good luck!!