Is Your Auto Insurance Tax Deductible?

Tax season is coming up fast. You want to take advantage of every possible deduction on your vehicle. Sometimes there are items you don’t even think about that you may be able to use. Many small business owners often wonder, is your auto insurance tax deductible or not?

Personal use car taxes

Of course not; that’s the answer if you use your car for personal use, like going to the gym to work out. If, however, you operate an automobile exclusively for business purposes, you can deduct the cost of your premiums when you file annually. Besides, you can add up all the costs you spent on the car for convenience, like gas and repairs, and come to a total.

End-of-year taxes

This will make it much easier to do your taxes at the end of the year. Important note: always be truthful and honest about your automobile deductions. If you only rarely use your car for business, then calculate those minor expenses. It will help you in the long run if you get audited and need to show proof.

Doing taxes for yourself

If you are doing your taxes by yourself, you have two choices. First, you can add up the total expenses of your vehicle while conducting business. This may give you a smaller or higher number than the IRS guidelines.

The second choice is to use the IRS basic deduction rate. If you have a CPA or bookkeeper, they will usually advise you on what method will make you not spend more than what you should.

Keep Accurate Records When Deducting Your Car Insurance Premiums and Other Vehicle Expenses

Many business people prefer to calculate all the real costs related to the operation of their vehicles. This is great for maximize the deductions, but you need to keep detailed records for every expense, no matter how minor it is.

So, if you buy just $10 in gas, keep the receipts. If you spend $400 on new tires, keep those more considerable expenses. You can get a receipt via your bank or credit card records online if you lose it.

Common items that can be deducted if you use your automobile solely for operating a business:

• Your Insurance Premiums
• License and Registration Fees
• Gasoline Expenses
• Parking and Toll Fees
• Repairs, including Oil Changes
• Depreciation and Car Loan Interest

If you break the law and get a traffic ticket, you cannot deduct this expense. The best thing to do is go to traffic school and get it off your record so your insurance rates won’t go up.

Another deduction you might miss taking is the interest on the auto loan. If you exclusively use the car for your business, you can deduct all of this interest expense. If you only use part-time for a business, you can deduct part of the car loan interest costs.

First time with self-employed deductions

With taxes more complicated than ever, you can see why many people need qualified CPAs to take advantage of all the deductible items. If you are filing for the first time with self-employed deductions, it’s smart to see a CPA and have them file the first year.

The last thing you want when you start is to get audited by the IRS. Although CPA costs are expensive, they can save you money. They can maximize all of your deductions, including things you might have overlooked had you done your taxes on your own.

The best advice when it comes to taxes is to keep good records and organize them properly. If you insist on doing your taxes, use programs like Quickbooks. Also, scan your receipts into a file based on each category. By doing the little things each day, you won’t have a huge headache when tax time comes.

Get Direct Auto Insurance Online and Save More

Now that you know when your car insurance is tax-deductible, you should also shop around for better auto insurance rates. The best place to do that is online at sites like GoodtogoInsurance.

The quotes are free, and you will be matched with direct insurers that can save you hundreds. There is never any obligation to buy any policy. If you chose to buy, you could print your policy info and I.D. cards all online. Get started now and see how simple it is to save with direct auto insurance pricing.