end of tax thread?

[Joel Rappaport]

James Grebe wrote:
>
> Since I was the one to start the thread on business deductions I will
> sum up what I have learned from all your responses, public and private.
<snip>
> With what I have learned, I better not claim this new computer as 100%
> business because I could not say that I have never looked at the games
> at all.  Anything at all where you have ever did anything that was
> personal cannot be 100% business.

IMO, if using the computer mouse and screen in an activity that trains
you in computer use (moving mouse, clicking buttons, learning Windows,
etc.) it can be considered as training which you will use in the
business applications, even if it is a game.  If, out of 100 hours of
computer use, 94 hours are purely business and 6 are "training," then it
could be calculated that 94% (from the 94 out of 100 hours) of the 6
training hours are business use, too.  That gives (94 hours) plus (94%
of 6 hours=
5.6 hours) and a total of 99.6% of the time.  You could play it safe and
count it as 99%, but rounding off results in 100% of the computer time
being attributed to business.
This pure business use and training time (personal use, if any, has to
be calculated, but my example was just training and business) is exactly
how aircraft owners may calculate the percentage of business use that is
allowable.  The IRS accepts this.

> If you have a home office, it better not be anything else but a home
> office used exclusively for your business all the time.

Please don't forget that there is more to it than that.  Presently, the
"home office" (not shop, which is different) has to be the **principal
place of business** for meeting clients and conducting your professional
activities, such as tuning pianos.  I mentioned this in a previous post.

Don McCallion wrote much more authoritatively about it in his post.

BTW, Don, thank you very much for your expertise.  It is very much
appreciated and it is very kind of you to share.

Joel Rappaport
Round Rock, Texas
Information Given for Free--Refunds Available
--Don't rely on me for tax advice;
I am not a CPA nor do I play one on TV--
Consult your tax advisor!!!