
If you receive mileage reimbursement as compensation for driving a vehicle for the work you do as part of a small business or enterprise company, keeping a mileage log is generally no different than if you were self-employed. Expensive vehicles tend to cost a lot of money to maintain – if in doubt, talk to your accountant about which choice would be best for you. The actual expenses method is usually a good choice for those who face large expenses related to the operation of their vehicle, which is not primarily gas and oil. You also still need to keep a mileage log, because you have to be able to prove the percentage of your trips that were for business purposes, thus using that percentage to make a claim against your itemized receipts. The actual expenses method on the other hand can be a little more complicated – using this method you must keep track of all expenses related to the use of your vehicle via itemized receipts, which include things like gas/oil, insurance, maintenance logs, tolls, and even depreciation. This example paints a relatively simple picture – all Stevie needs to do to obtain his tax deductions is keep an IRS-compliant mileage log that presents all his trips, and he can do this either with our Excel template or with our mileage tracker app. In total, he does roughly 23,000 miles each year, which, under the standard mileage rate for 2023, qualifies him for $15,065 in tax deductions. Let’s take an example: Stevie works as an independent plumber, traveling a great deal between clients in the city. The former we have already mentioned on this page it’s very simple – all you need to do is keep a mileage log, then total your business mileage and do the math.

Self-employed people and independent contractors can choose between two methods when it comes to claiming tax deductions on their mileage – the standard mileage rate and the actual expenses method. Keeping a Mileage Log While Self-Employed This is a good idea because the IRS could audit you at any point, and they can request logs dating back up to 3 years. How Long Should You Keep Your Tax Records?Īs a rule of thumb, it is usually worth it to keep tax records that date back a long time, though at a minimum you should keep a comprehensive vehicle mileage log dating back at least 3 years.
#Teen driving log excel software
Doing this could be difficult depending on the Excel version you have, though with our mileage logging software you are automatically shown the potential deductions of your logged trips – more on that later.Īlthough the IRS doesn’t require personal trips in your mileage log, it’s strongly recommended that you include them because it will provide clarity for both yourself and the IRS since you need to separate your total business mileage, total personal mileage, and total commuting mileage for the year.Īlso, logging your personal trips boosts the proficiency of MileageWise’s built-in IRS auditor function, which you need for an IRS-Proof result.

The departure and arrival points of all your trips.Commuting to and from your workplace is not considered a business trip, though if you travel from your work to a client, in the service of a client, to run errands, or even to attend a business lunch, these trips are tax-deductible.

The purpose of your trip, or, in basic terms whether or not that trip counts as business travel or personal travel.Generally speaking, a mileage expense report should adhere to the requirements as stated on the IRS.gov website. Let’s examine the specifics of what a mileage log should contain, and how different scenarios related to mileage logging affect those who need them. On this page, we’ll break down what you need for a mileage log whether you’re self-employed or receive mileage reimbursement as an employee of a small business or an enterprise company – you need only to scroll down if you simply need the Excel mileage log template.
#Teen driving log excel download
Luckily, we have a mileage form template, which you can use to track your business expenses for mileage, you only need to download Excel if you haven’t already, or just open it on Google Sheets in your browser. While you’re certainly better off using a mileage tracker app, some people just prefer a more old-fashioned approach using an Excel template.
