Work from home? Read this before you request a home office tax deduction

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Remote work dramatically changed our concept of the “office”. The Pew Research Center estimates that 14% of all adults rented over 18 or approximately 22 million people are Currently working from home All the time.

If you are a remote worker Filing your taxesHowever, you may not have the right to request a home office. The deduction of the interior office allows the eligible taxpayers to reduce their tax obligations by writing off their work space as a legal business expense. In most cases, deduction of the interior office is applied only to self -employed and independent contractors, not to those under traditional contracts, which are classified as remote employees.

It all depends on how your Employment is categorized by IRS And if your office is only used for business. Read to learn more about how it works for the home office in 2025

Do I answer the home office deducting?

Although veal has become widespread for Traditional W-2 officialsThe deduction of the home office is specifically applied to fully self -employed people or independent contractors who use a specific business area regularly and/or exclusive basis. This means that you probably qualify if you work for yourself or have a small business and have allocated part of your home as a basic workspace.

A full -time W2 employee works at home?

If you are a remote employee of the W-2, hired for a period of time to complete the current payment of the company, you may not be able to request a home office.

However, there are some warnings. For example, if you use your home office as a special space to do a business for an independent side bustle-that is, during hours outside your regular work, you can be able to take advantage of deduction, according to Lisa Green-Louis, CPA and expert at TurboTax.

In this case, you can ask for some of the costs such as interest rates on housing, ownership taxes, rent and utilities based on the percentage of the home used for your country, said Green-Louis.

Developing the right costs for a special side business is not easy to appreciate. If you are trying to balance your W-2 income at the top of self-employment, it is smart to consult a tax specialist.

*Note that this applies to homework employees under the Law on Tax and Jobs Reduction of 2017, which has been in force until 2025. Keep track of potential changes in the future.

What spaces are eligible for deduction of the home office?

In order to request deduction, your home office must be reserved for work you do to earn your living, not just casual or random work.

“The space should be a specialized space where you are running a business,” Green-Louis said. “This cannot be the same area in which you and your family eat dinner and your children do homework.”

According to IRS, you do no meet the requirements if the area is used for both Business and personal goals. To qualify, your home office must be used “exclusively and regularly as a major business place” or somewhere “meet or deal with patients, clients or clients in the normal course of your trade or business.”

This applies whether you live in a house, apartment or apartment or whether you hire or own. And space should not be in your home either. For example, if you are a musician who created a studio in the garage, you may be able to take advantage of deducting home office.

There are some exceptions to the “exclusive use” guide, including storing equipment or using your home as a kindergarten facility. If you are wondering if your workspace meets the criteria, IRS has useful page With examples of arrangements that are ranked.

How can I ask for a home office deduction?

IRS may want to verify that you are actually eligible to deduct your home office. Plan to save copies of all your costs (such as buying a new desk and chair, for example) and all records demonstrating the office space, are used exclusively for business use.

“It is important for taxpayers to maintain good records and to ensure that they can support that they follow the eligibility rules if IRS has subsequent questions in correspondence or if The taxpayer ends with an audit“, Said Gareth Watson, director of the Tax Foundation policy analysis.

To show your home office is the real deal, you can either use IRS on IRS “simpl“Or the regular method for your calculation. The simplified method is based on a certain amount, allowing you to ask for $ 5 per square foot to a total of 300 square feet without having to deduct specific costs for your home business use.

You may want to look at the regular cost calculation method, which is much more complicated, but it can be paid off with more deduction. For example, if you manage a licensed kindergarten center from your home, you will need to determine what part of the space is used for business and what percentage of time is busy for business.

What benefits of IRS can I claim as a remote worker?

If you work remotely as an W-2 employee, there are not too many options to determine deductions for labor costs.

However, if you are busy and work from home, your list of potential deductions is quite long. Everything you spend money on to nourish your business (a new computer, new software to manage your invoices, ink cartridges for your printer and others) can be a business cost that will reduce your tax account.

Will I receive a business cost recovery from my employer?

Obtaining a recovery of business costs depends on who you work for, where you live and the arrangement you have with your employer. If your company has fulfilled a return to the office, which requires you to be in the office a few days a week, do not expect a refund.

However, some places should legally help employees who cover business costs at home. According to Paycor 11, (along with Washington, Colombia and Seattle County) have laws that require the reimbursement of certain costs, such as Internet and mobile phone service.

Read more: The best tax software 2025: 7 services that can help you file your taxes properly

What should I know about taxes this year?

Regardless of the tax category you fall into, there is one date that you have to circle in your calendar: Tuesday, April 15, 2025. taxS

If by then you are worried that your forms are fully cut, You can request a six -month extensionS Just be sure to pay your estimated tax account before. Otherwise, you will be completed by paying a delayed punishment.

Taxes are not easy to navigate. The more complicated your personal situation is, the greater the likelihood of taking advantage of finding expert assistance. Since hiring a special tax professional to return to the use of software such as Turbotax and other well -known tax preparation services, you can take advantage of understanding the nuances of deduction.