Can I deduct coffee I buy for myself during my workday as an independent contractor?

But what if I only drink coffee when I'm working? I literally never drink it outside of work hours, and I only get it to stay focused during long client projects. Wouldn't that make it more of a business expense in my case?

That's an interesting scenario, but the IRS would still likely consider it personal. The test isn't whether you only consume something during work hours, but whether the expense is ordinary and necessary for your business functions. Coffee is generally viewed as a personal choice for staying alert, similar to getting enough sleep or eating meals. If the coffee was specifically required for a client meeting or you were purchasing coffee for clients during business discussions, that would be different and potentially deductible as a business entertainment expense (though the rules for meal and entertainment deductions have changed in recent years).

How exactly does that work? Does it just tell you what's deductible or does it actually help you claim the deductions? I'm confused about whether it's just advice or actually helps with the filing.

Sounds interesting but I'm skeptical. Isn't this just something a regular tax prep software could tell you? Why do you need a special service just to know if coffee is deductible?

It does more than just tell you what's deductible - it actually analyzes your specific expense patterns and identifies which items have documentation that would likely satisfy an IRS review. For example, it flagged my coffee purchases that happened right before client meetings as potentially deductible business entertainment expenses, while separating out my regular morning coffee as personal. Regular tax software just asks yes/no questions but doesn't analyze your specific receipts and circumstances. This gives more tailored guidance based on your actual spending patterns and documentation, which is especially helpful for gray-area expenses like coffee.

Wait, is this legit? How does this even work? I thought nobody could get through to the IRS these days...are they just paying people to wait on hold for you or something?

Yeah right. No way this actually works. The IRS has hours-long wait times for everyone. How could some random service possibly get you through faster than anyone else? Sounds like a scam to me.

It's completely legitimate. They use a system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is about to answer. It's not someone physically waiting on the phone for you - it's a technological solution to the hold time problem. The service doesn't give you special access or let you cut in line - you're still in the same queue as everyone else. The difference is you don't have to personally sit there listening to hold music for hours. When an agent is about to pick up, you get called and connected immediately.

Does it matter what type of independent contractor you are? Like would it be different for a writer vs a plumber vs a consultant?

The profession doesn't significantly change the basic rules, but it might affect what's considered "ordinary and necessary" for your specific business. For example, a consultant who regularly meets clients at coffee shops might have more legitimate business coffee expenses than a plumber who works primarily at client homes. The key is whether the expense is directly related to your business operations, not just something you consume while working. This applies across different types of independent contractors, though the specific expenses that qualify as "ordinary and necessary" might vary by industry.

That's actually a really good rule of thumb! Makes it much simpler to understand than some of the complex explanations I've seen.