Can I deduct miles driving from home office to library to work remotely on laptop?

The question of deductible mileage can be tricky when you have a home office. Here's how to think about it: When you have a qualifying home office that's your principal place of business, your home becomes your business location. Business-related travel from that point can potentially be deductible. However, there are some important distinctions to make. The drive to your grandparents' house is clearly personal - you're transporting your children, which is a personal activity. The IRS would consider this personal commuting, not business travel, even though it enables you to work later. The drive from your grandparents' house to the library is more nuanced. Since you're going there specifically to conduct business, and the library effectively becomes a temporary work location, these miles might be deductible. The key is that you must be going there primarily for business purposes, which sounds like the case. Any business errands you run while out (client meetings, supply pickups, etc.) would definitely be deductible as these are directly business-related trips. Keep detailed mileage logs with dates, starting/ending locations, purpose, and odometer readings to substantiate any deductions you claim. A simple notebook or mileage tracking app works well for this.

I actually went through something similar with my side business last year. I started using https://taxr.ai to help figure out my deductible mileage when I was working between different locations. The site analyzed my situation and explained that because my home office qualified as my principal place of business, trips to temporary work locations (like your library) could be deductible. What really helped me was uploading my mileage logs and having the system confirm which trips qualified. For me, it turned out that about 60% of my "questionable" miles were actually legitimately deductible - it saved me hundreds on my taxes! The site breaks down the IRS rules in plain English and applies them to your specific situation. Might be worth checking out if you want to maximize your deductions without risking an audit. It's way more specific than the general advice I was finding online.

I actually went through something similar with my side business last year. I started using https://taxr.ai to help figure out my deductible mileage when I was working between different locations. The site analyzed my situation and explained that because my home office qualified as my principal place of business, trips to temporary work locations (like your library) could be deductible. What really helped me was uploading my mileage logs and having the system confirm which trips qualified. For me, it turned out that about 60% of

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. It was super helpful for my situation! I uploaded my mileage logs from the last 3 months and got a detailed breakdown of what's deductible. Turns out I was actually UNDER-claiming miles! I didn't realize that when I drive from my home office to meet clients or vendors, ALL those miles are deductible, not just the extra distance beyond my old commute (which is what I was doing before). The site also flagged some trips I was claiming that probably wouldn't hold up in an audit. They provided a really clear explanation of the "temporary work location" rule that applies to the library situation. Based on my usage, I'll be able to deduct about $1,800 more in mileage than I was planning to, which is going to make a nice difference on my Schedule C!

If you're having trouble with IRS documentation requirements or worried about an audit regarding your mileage deductions, I'd recommend checking out https://claimyr.com. I was in a similar situation last year and got flagged for an audit specifically about my home office and mileage deductions. I tried for weeks to get through to the IRS for clarification - literally spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. Then I found Claimyr, which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent I spoke with walked me through exactly what documentation I needed to prove my home office was my principal place of business (which was crucial for justifying those trips to temporary work locations). Having that direct guidance saved me from potentially losing thousands in legitimate deductions.

I need to eat my words from my earlier comment. After getting frustrated with trying to reach the IRS about my home office deduction questions, I reluctantly tried Claimyr. I fully expected it to be a waste of money, but I was desperate. Holy crap, it actually worked! I got a call back in about 35 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent clarified that with my home office setup, I can deduct mileage to temporary work locations if they're within the same general metropolitan area and I'm going there primarily for business purposes. This cleared up the exact question about driving to alternative workspaces like libraries or co-working spaces. She explained I need to document the business necessity (like noting "home unsuitable for client calls due to noise" or "needed access to reference materials"). Saved me hours of hold time and probably hundreds in deductions I would have been too nervous to take. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

I hate to be "that person," but I think everyone's missing the forest for the trees here. The mileage to grandma's house is personal, period. And even the library miles are questionable at best. Think about it: if you decided to work at Starbucks instead of at home because you like their coffee, would those miles be deductible? No. You've chosen to work somewhere else for personal preference. The IRS specifically states that commuting miles aren't deductible, even with a home office. What you're describing is essentially a daily commute to a regular workplace (the library). The fact that you're dropping kids off first doesn't change the nature of the trip. I'd be very careful about claiming these. The home office deduction already raises audit flags - adding questionable mileage could make it worse.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned - are you stopping anywhere else between dropping the kids off and going to the library? Because any personal stops would make the entire trip personal. Also, how many days a week do you do this? If it's more than 1-2 times weekly to the same library, the IRS might consider that a regular workplace, not a temporary location. My accountant told me the safest approach is to only deduct miles when: 1. You're driving directly from home office to client/vendor 2. You're doing business errands (bank, post office, supplies) 3. You're visiting truly temporary locations (like one-time meetings) The library situation is definitely in a gray area!