Discussion:Deadhead Miles - Over the Road Truckers
From TaxAlmanac
Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Deadhead Miles - Over the Road Truckers
| 2 April 2007 | |
| Have various truckers - one was audited before I started prepating his taxes. The auditor allowed deadhead miles - at the business mileage rate. I have since also taken them, but have wondered why - since the truck is already depreciated and he is expensing all his costs - when he sells the semi - any ramifcations since the basis will be zero with additional milage being taken. | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| I would like to know how he claims actual expenses AND mileage. | |
| April 2, 2007 | |
| Don't know what deadhead miles is (is that when truckers drive up those ramps to slow them down when they are driving too fast?), but if the truck is fully depreciated, you can only deduct actual expenses and not both actual and mileage. | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| WWW, Deadhead miles are those driven while listening to Jerry Garcia. | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| The dead head miles are when the truckers have runs that they are not carrying anything.
So they are running but not generating revenue. I actually have the audit report from the auditor , allowing the mileage rate AND the depreciation of the tractor. the auditor redid the tax return and entered a line item on his Sch C as deadhead miles miles x rate and decducted it | |
Bottom Line (talk|edits) said: | 2 April 2007 |
| Deadhead miles are when the truck is empty. You take a load from FL to Atlanta. Unload the truck in Atlanta then drive empty to Nashville to pick up another load to take to Chicago. The miles from Atlanta to Nashville are deadhead miles. Truckers get paid less for those. (And people say you don't learn things by doing taxes for a living!) | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| Kevin - I agree with you , but as along as as I have the audit report- and my client wants to take it, well - I will. | |
| April 2, 2007 | |
| Klesher - So does that mean you don't agree with me and you only agree with Kevin? | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
Kevein, wouldn't this one be a  situation?
Deadhead miles=trucker(meaning he's driving a tractor/trailer big rig-not his pickup truck)hauls a load from point A to point B, has nothing to load and bring back to point A, therefore deadheading. HOW can he be deducting miles when he's depr. tractor/truck and expensing all other costs of operating that truck? I want the name and phone # of that IRS agent!! | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| Oh Deb - sorry I missed you entry - guess I read too fast - my eyes are really burning. | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| I would not have believed it either if I did not get all the paperwork from this guy! | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| How do I direct my borther-in-law's return to this auditor? I am sure I can come up with a few more items for him. | |
| 2 April 2007 | |
| It goes to show you that even IRS auditors don't know everything even though they think they do. It is crazy that the auditor took deadhead miles and deprec./actual expenses. I would never, ever deduct any mileage on a OTR client's rig.
Personally, I would not deduct them for any years following the audited year. Next auditor might be a lot smarter. Keep that can of worms closed. Dar | |
