Each year standard mileage rates are set by the IRS. For 2012 they are:
Business Travel: 55.5¢/per mile
Medical/Moving: 23¢/per mile
Charitable Work: 14¢/per mile
Too often this deduction is overlooked because proper documentation was not followed. Here are a few tips to ensure you receive the full benefit of this tax deduction.
Tip 1: Track your applicable mileage in an auto log. This log is required to ensure your deduction is not disallowed during the course of an audit. Please make sure the business/charitable/medical purpose, date and distance is clearly noted.
Tip 2: Also keep track of parking, tolls and other miscellaneous travel expenses. These can often be deducted in addition to the standard mileage rate.
Tip 3: Submit expense reports if your mileage can be reimbursed. Most employers will reimburse you for business mileage at the approved rate, but many employees fail to ask for reimbursement. Remember, your employer can deduct this reimbursed expense on their tax return as well.
Tip 4: Keep track of medical miles. Even though you need to surpass a percent of your income prior to taking medical expenses as an itemized deduction, still keep track of qualified medical miles. It often only takes one major medical bill to make all your other excess medical expenses deductible.
Tip 5: Plan your business trips to ensure your miles are deductible. Commuting miles to and from work are not deductible. However, if you stop off at a supplier first, then the mileage from the supplier to your workplace is a deductible expense.
Tip 6: Do not forget charitable miles. This deduction is one of the most often overlooked deductions. Do you drive for Meals on Wheels or for a school function? Do you volunteer as a coach for a non-profit sporting group? These miles add up over time and are often not properly documented.
