Home office deduction-bathroom?!

[danut15]

I have a home office. Question: since my apartment is large, I designated a specific room for the exclusive usage of the home office; this room has its adjacent joining bathroom that is accessible only from the home office. Can I include the square footage of this bathroom as well into the calculated sq footage of the home office (bathroom+room) and then divide that by the total sq footage area of the apartment to figure out the % of my apartment expenses (electric, heating, rent...) that would be attributable to the home office?

 

[VagabondMD]

I am no expert, but I think that you are pushing it. In fact, if you use the office to get to the bathroom for non-work purposes, part of the office space might not be legitimate for a dedication. Of course, it only really matters if you get audited and you have to explain that you only use the bathroom when you are working.

[jfoxcpacfp]

I can't believe in my 37 years of home office advice that this is the first potty question I've had. Normally, I'd ask whether the bathroom is exclusive use and would presume the answer would be "no". However, in your situation, if there is another bathroom in your apartment for non-business (ahem) use, then I think you're ok including it in your home office calculations.

[DMFA]

Hey man, work bowel movements are way more gnarly than non-work ones, you gotta keep those separate...right?

[jfoxcpacfp]

DMFA wrote:

Hey man, work bowel movements are way more gnarly than non-work ones, you gotta keep those separate…right?

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Did you really mean to post that or did you hit enter by mistake? Do doctors have no shame? ops:

[danut15]

So, to clarify:-), this bathroom has "exclusive" business usage during the time I operate the home office. So I should be ok including it into the calculation for the sq footage of the office, right? In the end, I bet the IRS offices have also their "business bathrooms" they got to use while at work, right?

[jfoxcpacfp]

danut15 wrote:

So, to clarify:-), this bathroom has “exclusive” business usage during the time I operate the home office. So I should be ok including it into the calculation for the sq footage of the office, right? In the end, I bet the IRS offices have also their “business bathrooms” they got to use while at work, right?

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Honestly, in this case, I would take it as long as there is another bathroom available for non-business use. Even though Vagabond MD says you are "pushing it". :lol:

[VagabondMD]

danut15 wrote:

So, to clarify:-), this bathroom has “exclusive” business usage during the time I operate the home office. So I should be ok including it into the calculation for the sq footage of the office, right? In the end, I bet the IRS offices have also their “business bathrooms” they got to use while at work, right?

Click to expand...

It sounds like cheating to me. If you have to keep asking, you know the answer. YMMV

[DMFA]

jfoxcpacfp wrote:

DMFA wrote:

Hey man, work bowel movements are way more gnarly than non-work ones, you gotta keep those separate…right?

Click to expand…

Did you really mean to post that or did you hit enter by mistake? Do doctors have no shame? ????

Click to expand...

Yes and no :-/ pardon the lack of decorum...but if you ask doctors who work in the hospital, everyone has their favorite place that's a little bit out-of-the-way for some "me time." And the "pushing it" joke is totally on point :-D

I think you're def stretching it and might get back *maybe* another hundred dollars or so. If that's worth it to you, since the likelihood of an audit is probably very low, sure, go for it. But I doubt any professional helping prepare your return would endorse doing that.

[RogueDadMD]

I approve this message

[Craigy]

The joke in all of my income tax classes was "how do you get audited?  have a home office."    

danut15 wrote:

So, to clarify:-), this bathroom has “exclusive” business usage during the time I operate the home office. So I should be ok including it into the calculation for the sq footage of the office, right? In the end, I bet the IRS offices have also their “business bathrooms” they got to use while at work, right?

Click to expand...

In all seriousness, I'm not sure if this is something where the code delineates.  Otherwise people would deduct their whole house and claim it's all exclusively business during business hours.

[danut15]

Since, we are all enjoying this topic :-), I'd like to pose a challenge and see if this could be a valid argument to make:

 

Let's say you have an office (not at home), but in a building where you pay rent, electricity, water...etc.

Would you deduct the cost of the bathrooms in your office on the days when you don't see any clients, but just do admin work, such as prorate the rent of the space over the rest of the area, but not include the sq footage of the bathrooms...etc.? If no, why would one not include the adjacent bathroom of the home office into the calculation at home, where the only way to access it is from the home office and you'd have another bathroom available for personal usage anyhow? In other words, why is a bathroom deductible only if you have an office away from home and not for the one at home?

[jfoxcpacfp]

danut15 wrote:

In other words, why is a bathroom deductible only if you have an office away from home and not for the one at home?

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Because there are special rules for a business office in your personal home. You have to meet a higher standard than you do with a piece of business property. However, I've already stated that I would feel comfortable taking the deduction if there is at least one other bathroom available for personal use. As @DMFA pointed out, though, we're not talking about a lot of money here.

[danut15]

Agreed.

[The White Coat Investor]

No. Doctors have no shame. Do you really want a doctor afraid to talk about BMs, discharges, and other icky stuff?