[tigerlily]

One job my husband is looking at would mean that he works for an employer, but from an office in our home. Would we be able to deduct a portion of our house expenses because of this? I thought there was something about being able to deduct your mortgage interest from your taxes if you earn money from home (thus all those rental bedsits)?

Anyone shed some light?

[Moorf]

Hi tigerlily,

If you are self-employed you can deduct home expenses such as heating, power, maintenance etc. but I'm not too sure on the situ if you are being employed by someone else. :no

If the job is full-time at home, has your hubby considered asking the firm if he could contract to them, full-time, as a self-employed individual, rather than be on their payroll, then you'd be able to claim all the at-home expenses associated with self employed? Just a thought because it's something I did in the UK for a while, negotiated contract instead of employee.

Best thing you can do is ring the tax office - they are extremely helpful.

Moorf

[Super_BQ]

As Moof mentioned, you'll need to 'contract' to your boss (client) in order to allow for house deductions. But if this is the case, then you'll be treating your office at home as a home business and is separate from your day to day salary from say another company you're employed to.

The key being, are you an employee of that company or you are self employed and contract to that company?

Tax dept. aren't fools when it comes to taking your cake and eating it. You need to make that clear distinction and don't forget the fringe benefits. Such as your boss gives you the company car to use vs. your own home business where you own a car for your self-employed business use.

The short answer would be no.

[eternalkiwi]

If your husband is to work for someone else, his employer is likely to supply the equipment in the home based office that your husband needs to perform his job, though sometimes they pay a 'lease' for your husband to supply the equipment for them.

Otherwise the only way you could claim expenses again your husbands income is, as the earlier posts highlighted, to be a contractor and not an employee.

Shawn

[tigerlily]

Hmm. That's too bad.

[eternalkiwi]

If your husband is working from home his employer may pay for a phone line or at least a percentage of your main phone line or a mobile phone; and they could pay a travel subsidy between your home and their main office.

Basically any tools, equipment or stationery your husband would have at work, his employer could supply an equivalent for him to use at the home-office.

Shawn