Can I claim mileage deduction for weekly rental property inspections?
I've got a rental property that I drive by once a week just to make sure everything looks okay from the outside. Nothing fancy - just a quick visual inspection to check that there's no obvious damage, weird activity, or maintenance issues developing. No actual repairs during these visits and I'm not collecting rent during these drive-bys. I'm wondering if the IRS would allow me to deduct this regular mileage on my taxes? It's about 18 miles round trip each week, which adds up over the year. I'm not doing any hands-on work during these visits - literally just driving by to make sure the place hasn't burned down or gotten trashed. Would these simple "wellness checks" on my investment property qualify for the mileage deduction? Or does the IRS require that I'm actively doing maintenance or collecting rent during each visit for the miles to count?
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Jamal Wilson
Yes, you can absolutely deduct the mileage for those weekly inspection trips! The IRS allows deductions for "ordinary and necessary" expenses related to your rental property business, and regular inspections definitely qualify as necessary property management. The standard mileage rate for 2024 business travel is 67 cents per mile, so those 18-mile weekly trips will add up to a nice deduction over the year. Just make sure you keep a good mileage log with dates and purpose of each trip. You don't need to be collecting rent or doing repairs during each visit for it to qualify. Property inspections are a legitimate business activity for landlords - you're protecting your investment and fulfilling your duty to maintain the property in good condition.
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Mei Lin
•What if I combine these trips with other errands? Like I stop by my rental on the way to the grocery store or something? Can I still deduct the full mileage?
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Jamal Wilson
•For trips that combine personal errands with business purposes, you can only deduct the business portion of the mileage. So if you're specifically detouring to check on your rental, you can deduct the extra miles that detour added to your trip. If you're making a special trip just for the rental and then decide to stop at the grocery store on the way back, you should document the primary purpose of the trip and can generally deduct the full rental-related portion.
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Liam Fitzgerald
I've been using taxr.ai for tracking all my rental property deductions and it's been a game changer for documenting these kinds of expenses. I was in a similar situation last year - driving by my rental properties regularly but wasn't sure if I could claim those miles. The tool at https://taxr.ai actually analyzed my situation and confirmed that regular inspection visits are totally deductible, even without collecting rent or doing repairs during those visits. It also helped me set up a simple system for tracking these trips with proper documentation in case of an audit. The peace of mind alone was worth it!
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Amara Nnamani
•How exactly does this work? I'm already using a mileage tracking app on my phone. Does taxr.ai replace that or work alongside it?
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Giovanni Mancini
•Sounds like another tax prep service but I've been burned before with these specialized tools. How is this different from just asking my accountant or using the big name tax software?
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Liam Fitzgerald
•The mileage tracking app you're using is great - taxr.ai doesn't replace that. It works more like an analyzer that reviews your overall tax situation and helps identify deductions you might be missing. It helped me understand which of my trips qualified as business vs personal, and how to properly document them. Regarding how it differs from traditional tax services, it's specifically designed to find overlooked deductions for property owners and small landlords. Most accountants are generalists, and the big tax software doesn't ask the right detailed questions about rental properties. taxr.ai specifically looks for rental-specific deductions that most people miss, like these inspection visits, home office deductions related to managing your properties, and partial deductions for mixed-use trips.
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Amara Nnamani
Update on my tax situation: I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it actually found several deductions I've been missing with my rental property. Beyond just the mileage for inspections (which I wasn't claiming before!), it caught some home office deductions related to my property management activities and some partial utility expenses I could legitimately claim. The document review feature analyzed my previous returns and identified almost $2,300 in deductions I missed last year alone. Already filed an amendment for 2023 and setting up better tracking for this year. Can't believe I was leaving that money on the table!
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NebulaNinja
If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to confirm these kinds of deductions, I recently discovered https://claimyr.com and it was a lifesaver. I had questions about rental property mileage deductions similar to this and couldn't get through on the IRS lines for weeks. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent confirmed that regular inspection visits are 100% deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses for rental property owners. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was honestly shocked at how quickly I got connected after weeks of frustration trying the regular IRS number.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Does this service actually work? The IRS phone system is notoriously terrible. How does this magically get you through when millions of people can't get through normally?
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Dylan Mitchell
•This feels sketchy. Why would I pay another service when I should be able to reach the IRS directly? Sounds like they're profiting off a broken government system.
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NebulaNinja
•Yes, it absolutely works! It uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone menu and waits on hold for you. Once an agent picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to them. It's not magic - just smart technology that handles the frustrating waiting part. I understand the skepticism - I felt the same way. But the IRS phone system is overwhelmed, especially during tax season, and most people give up after hours on hold. This service just automates the waiting process. I justified the cost because my time is valuable, and getting a definitive answer from the IRS about my rental deductions gave me confidence in my tax filing.
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Dylan Mitchell
I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After complaining about it here, I was still stuck with questions about my rental property deductions that nobody could answer clearly. Got frustrated enough to try it, and it actually connected me to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was super helpful and confirmed that not only can I deduct mileage for regular inspection visits, but I could also deduct mileage for trips to the hardware store for rental-related supplies, meetings with potential contractors, and even driving to the bank to deposit rent checks. Got way more clarification than I expected and it was worth every penny not to waste hours on hold. Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong!
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Sofia Morales
Don't forget to keep detailed records of these trips! The IRS loves to challenge vehicle expenses. I got audited last year on my rental property return and they specifically looked at my mileage claims. What saved me was having a dedicated logbook where I recorded: - Date and time of each trip - Starting and ending odometer readings - Purpose of the trip (like "weekly property inspection") - Any notes about what I observed or did during the visit Just using a calendar or guessing later is not enough if you get audited. Trust me, you want solid documentation!
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Thanks for the detailed advice! I've actually been using a notes app on my phone to track dates, but I haven't been recording odometer readings. Will start doing that immediately. Do you think it's worth getting one of those mileage tracker apps instead of manual logs?
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Sofia Morales
•Apps can definitely make this easier! I switched to MileIQ after my audit and it's been great - automatically tracks all my drives and lets me categorize them as business or personal with a simple swipe. There are several good options out there. The key is consistency. Whatever system you use, make sure you're tracking every single trip throughout the year. The IRS is suspicious of perfectly round numbers or estimates. Showing actual, specific mileage with real dates makes your deduction much more defensible.
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Dmitry Popov
Just wanted to add that there's a tax court case that specifically addressed this issue - Curphey v. Commissioner. The court ruled that travel to a rental property to check on it qualified as a deductible business expense, even when the owner wasn't actively collecting rent or doing repairs during those visits. The key thing the IRS looks for is whether you're engaged in the activity with the intention of making a profit. Since regular inspections help maintain your property value and prevent costly damage, they're considered ordinary and necessary business expenses. Make sure you're being reasonable though - daily drive-bys might raise eyebrows, but weekly or monthly checks are totally normal for rental property management.
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Ava Garcia
•This is super helpful! Do you have any other sources or resources that talk about this specifically? I'm trying to find clear guidance because my tax preparer was unsure about this deduction.
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