[Fkatz]

It seems that there is much confusion over what and what not can be deducted by truck drivers.

As I said in earlier posts the Per Diem is a reimbursement for FOOD ONLY, and does not pertain to Showers, Hotels, laundry, or anything else. it is only for food.

Hotels, Motels, Showers, laundry, and all the other items you can get from e-mailing me direct ly at [Fkatz1@aol.com] and requesting a deductible listing, its free.

For those of you who have not completed your tax returns the per Diem is $52.00 US and $58.00 Canada. The Amount has not changed for 2008 and if it will. the change will not take place until Oct 1, 2008. But the percentage has changed to 80% for this year.

The only showers that you can take are the one's that you actually pay for. you cannot take the freebees that you get when you buy fuel and use the shower ticket or a rewards fuel card.

Entertainment, legally the only entertainment that you can take is if you take your Owner, dispatcher, broker, or anyone connected to getting you income can be taken as a deduction, and you recieve only 50 % of the total.

Driver have been taking this deduction for years including me when I was driving myself, I have never been audited.

But in only 2 audit that my cleints have had they disallowed the entertainment deduction, on both.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask,

Franklin Katz, ATP, PA

[Fkatz]

I forgot to mention about the H/W team operation, Starting with this years tax return (2007) if you use a Schedule C, it may be file Jointly and if there is a profit both will pay into SS. this way it will not leave your spouse high and dry with no Self Employment tax paid in. you enter all the expense on the one form, You do not have to get 2 1099's separating the income and entering it on 2 separate forms.


Frank