People may think that the mileage tax deduction is only for employer expenses, such as traveling for your own business or using your personal car to travel for an employer. Both of these scenarios make you potentially eligible to claim the mileage tax deduction on your taxes. However, there are several other scenarios where you can potentially claim a mileage tax deduction.

How to Claim Mileage Deductions

Mileage Used While Volunteering

There are three categories you must fulfill in order to take a mileage deduction from volunteering. First, the organization that you volunteered for must be recognized by the IRS. Second, you cannot have been reimbursed by the organization for your personal car gas expenses. Third, you must itemize your tax deductions.

The 2013 mileage rate for volunteer personal car expenses is $0.14 per mile. Instead of deducting the mileage rate, you could choose to deduct the actual expenses (gas, oil, parking, tolls, etc.).

Mileage Incurred When Moving for Work

If you use your personal vehicle to move for a new job, you are not reimbursed for moving expenses by your new employer, and you itemize your tax deductions, you can take a mileage tax deduction for moving in addition to other moving costs.

The standard mileage deduction for moving expenses is:

  • $0.19 from January-June 30, 2011
  • $0.235 from July 1-December 30, 2011
  • $0.23 for 2012
  • $0.24 for 2013

Mileage Incurred During Eligible Health Expenses

You must have incurred medical expenses of 7.5% or more of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in order to take a medical expense deduction. You can include the cost of transportation to and from medical care in your calculation to see if you qualify for the medical expense deduction, including travel by bus, taxi, train, plane, ambulance, the transportation expenses for a parent that must accompany a minor for treatment, the transportation expenses of a nurse or other person who must accompany someone who cannot travel alone due to medical reasons, the transportation costs to visit a medically ill patient if these visits are recommended as part of treatment.

If you are eligible to deduct health care expenses and used a personal vehicle, you can choose between deducting actual personal car expenses incurred (gas, oil, parking, tolls, etc.), or the standard mileage rate of $0.23 for 2013. This changed from $0.19 from January-June 30, 2011 and $0.235 from July 1-December 30, 2011 and $0.23 in 2012.

More Tax Topics



Get your biggest tax refund, guaranteed. Plus FREE Expert Tax Advice. File your Federal tax return for FREE today with TurboTax!




You can get my latest articles full of valuable tips and other information delivered directly to your email for free simply by entering your email address below. Your address will never be sold or used for spam and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Email:

Comments to Mileage Deduction for Volunteering, Moving, and Medical Expenses

  1. I learned about the mileage deduction for volunteer work last year. I own my house and because of the interest I pay, I already itemize. The deduction I received for mileage wasn’t earth shattering, but it was worth it to include.

    MoneySmartGuides



Previous article: «
Next article: »