Conference as tax deduction?

[I Find This Humerus]

i have full time academic job, W2 pay.

 

This year I started a side per diem job in the same specialty to add to my income. Can I deduct the cost of conference travel, hotel, car rental etc. from my 1099 income from my side job?

[Hatton]

Yes

[gap55u]

Yes, if it isn’t reimbursed/paid for by the w-2 job. At least that it my understanding.

[I Find This Humerus]

So what specifically can be written off? Flights, hotels, meals, car rental?

[jfoxcpacfp]

• If you attend a conference strictly for the benefit of your side per diem job, you can write off 100% of the costs (travel, 50% of meals, hotel, cost of conference).


• If, otoh, the attendance is simply for the purpose of keeping up with CME as a requirement of maintaining your license, then you can deduct only the pro-rata amount on your schedule C i.e. (IC income/total income)*conference costs = schedule C deduction.

[I Find This Humerus]

Well the conference gives me both knowledge and new practices to keep current and up to date with both jobs since they are the same just for different practices. But I do get CME for attending the conference lectures so it's both?

[jfoxcpacfp]

I Find This Humerus wrote:

Well the conference gives me both knowledge and new practices to keep current and up to date with both jobs since they are the same just for different practices. But I do get CME for attending the conference lectures so it’s both?

Click to expand...

Yes, it's both.

[I Find This Humerus]

But I can still deduct correct?

[childay]

Your academic job won't reimburse you? That would obviously be better..

[jfoxcpacfp]

I Find This Humerus wrote:

But I can still deduct correct?

Click to expand...

You'll be able to deduct the proportionate amount that applies to your IC income. The amount that applies to your W2 income is no longer deductible as of 1/1/18. Prior to that date, you deduct only the amount of employee business expenses that exceeded 2% of your AGI, rendering them useless for most physicians, anyway.

[White.Beard.Doc]

Typically the university would reimburse you with a separate check for the conference and the travel and hotel expenses.  So that means the university incurred the cost and you did not.  They paid you back for whatever you spent.  If that is the case, you did not pay for the conference so you cannot deduct it from your independent contractor income.