Anyone Writing off their clothes?

[Jill]

My accountant has told me in no uncertain terms that you can not deduct clothing.  My wife and I work in the clothing industry, so for us it would be job related, and we still can not deduct one penny.

If it is a sample of your own line, which you are wearing to demo, it is. Gray area, perhaps, but perfectly legal. If you have a home-based business, selling refridgerators, then you are allowed one floor sample for the purposes of demo.

Anyway, see your tax professional. I'll bow out now.

 

[Dakota rube]

Was it Dakota_Rube that suggested writing nearly everything off because even if you get audited you will only be required to pay the taxes you were originally supposed to pay?

No, I don't believe I ever penned those words. IIRC the topic had delved into "fines" versus "penalties" with regard to underpayment of taxes. I stated that I was required to pay the tax plus a penalty (because I had technically underpaid my taxes for that year, plus interest on the underpayment. I am not now, nor have I ever been, an advocate of frivolous deductions.

 

[hopkins_student]

So I'll be able to write off my lab coats? I wonder if anyone makes bespoke lab coats.

 

[aybojs]

If anyone with relevant experience or knowledge can answer this, how common is it for retail clothing employees to be mandated to wear only the brand(s) of clothes their store carries? On the super low end, Abercrombie has garnered itself a negative reputation for having a (seemingly exceptional) policy to this effect, but I didn't know high end boutiques did this as well. How about single brand menswear retailers like Brooks Brothers?

Just curious since I'm still in the process of frantically trying to get a retail sales job.

As for the case CTGuy cited, it seems like a reasonable person would think the employer's policy would be valid cause for making a write off, at least because it provides a unusually strict industry-specific restriction that one wouldn't ordinarily see in your standard office dress code. But apparently government theft wins again.

 

[armscye]

I have been counseled by my accountant to hew to the "required for work and wearable nowhere else" rule. However, years back he approved my three-layer Nomex driving suit as deductible despite its $900 price tag, as a promotional item (company name on the back).

There is a perhaps apocryphal story of actress Ann Margret writing off costumes and being told by the IRS that she could deduct only gowns in which she could dance, but not sit.

 

[Fashionslave]

OMG---Tax Court for less than $1500 worth of clothing???What's this world coming to???

 

[Carlo]

 

[odoreater]

OMG---Tax Court for less than $1500 worth of clothing???What's this world coming to??? Â

you don't think that $1500 is a pretty hefty sum?

 

[odoreater]

Quote:

(odoreater @ April 16 2005,14:07)

Originally Posted by Fashionslave,April 16 2005,12:29

OMG---Tax Court for less than $1500 worth of clothing???What's this world coming to??? Â

you don't think that $1500 is a pretty hefty sum?
I think is just some Styleforum sarcasm coming into play

I know, that's what threw me off. You can get a zegna, hickey-freeman, gucci, etc. type suit off the peg at that price or 34 Jantzen shirts. I'd spend a day in tax court (pro se) for 34 Jantzens. Even if you pay a lawyer $400, that's still 25 Jantzens.