Can I claim my personal iPhone 12 as a tax deduction for work use?

Unfortunately, as a W-2 employee, you generally can't deduct unreimbursed business expenses like a work phone anymore. These types of deductions were eliminated for most employees with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that took effect in 2018. Before 2018, you could claim these as "miscellaneous itemized deductions" if they exceeded 2% of your adjusted gross income, but that's no longer an option for W-2 employees through at least 2025. Your best options would be to either: 1. Ask your employer if they'd be willing to provide a stipend or reimbursement for your work-related phone expenses 2. If you have any self-employment income (even a side gig), you could potentially allocate a portion of your phone expenses to that business

I struggled with the exact same situation last year! Trying to figure out phone deductions was making my head spin until I found a tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand what I could and couldn't deduct. I had an old Galaxy phone I was trying to write off for my W-2 job, but learned through taxr.ai that those deductions aren't available anymore for employees. However, the tool analyzed my situation and showed me that I could deduct a portion of it for my side gig driving for Uber on weekends. The tool actually goes through all your documentation and gives you really specific guidance for your situation rather than general advice.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that the other user recommended. I was skeptical at first but it really did help clarify my phone deduction situation. I've been doing photography as a side hustle (about 30% of my income) alongside my main job, and the tool helped me determine I could deduct 40% of my phone expenses on Schedule C for the business portion. I had all these receipts and bills scattered everywhere, but the system organized everything and showed me exactly what was deductible and why. Saved me from making the mistake of trying to claim my phone for my W-2. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about what phone expenses you can legally write off.

I had a similar issue and spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS to get a straight answer. Always got the "due to high call volume" message and never reached a human. Total nightmare. I ended up using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it was seriously a game changer. They have this system that gets you past the IRS phone tree and connects you with an actual agent. You can see a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed what others here have said - W-2 employees generally can't deduct phone expenses anymore, but if you have any self-employment income, you can deduct the business portion. Saved me from making a mistake on my return that might have triggered an audit.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After struggling for TWO WEEKS trying to reach the IRS myself about some phone deduction questions (and other issues), I broke down and tried the service. Within 45 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS representative who clearly explained which phone expenses I could deduct with my particular mix of W-2 and freelance income. The agent confirmed I could deduct a portion of my phone bill on Schedule C based on the percentage used for my freelance work, but nothing for my regular employment. They also helped me with some other tax questions I had been struggling with for months. Seriously wish I hadn't wasted so much time being stubborn and trying to do it myself.

Has anyone tried just asking their employer to reimburse them for part of their phone bill instead? I did this last year and my company agreed to give me $40/month toward my phone since I use it for work emails and calls. Much easier than trying to figure out complex tax deductions.

This is maybe a dumb question but what if i start a small side business just to be able to deduct my phone? like selling stuff on ebay once a month or something? would that work?

Great question! I dealt with this exact situation last year when I was trying to figure out phone deductions. As others have mentioned, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act really changed the game for W-2 employees - those miscellaneous itemized deductions are off the table until at least 2025. Since you mentioned you're a regular W-2 employee, your best bet is definitely to approach your employer about reimbursement first. Many companies are willing to provide a monthly stipend once they understand the business need - especially if you can document how much you're using your phone for work calls, emails, and navigation. If that doesn't work out, you might want to consider if you have any side income that could qualify as self-employment. Even small amounts of freelance work, consulting, or selling items online could potentially allow you to deduct the business portion of your phone expenses on Schedule C. Just make sure any side business is legitimate and profit-motivated, not just set up for tax purposes. The separate phone plan idea is smart for keeping things organized, but unfortunately won't change the deduction rules for your W-2 employment. Hope this helps clarify things!