Can I deduct my personal cell phone used for work as an employee on my taxes?

Unfortunately, the news isn't great on this front. Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect, employees can no longer deduct unreimbursed business expenses like cell phone costs on their federal taxes. These were previously deductible as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to a 2% AGI threshold, but that's been suspended through 2025. Your best option is to ask your employer for reimbursement. Many companies have expense policies that cover partial or full reimbursement for personal devices used for work. You could provide documentation showing your work usage percentage and request a monthly stipend.

I was in a similar situation and found a really helpful solution through taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). I was spending hundreds on my personal phone for work and getting frustrated about not being able to deduct it after the tax law changes. The tool analyzed my situation and helped me understand some options I didn't know about. One thing they pointed out was that while federal deductions are limited, some states still allow these deductions on state returns. They also helped me document my usage properly to approach my employer with a reimbursement request that actually worked.

I wanted to follow up on my skeptical comment about taxr.ai. I decided to try it out despite my doubts, and I'm actually really impressed. The tool found a work-around for my cell phone expenses I hadn't considered. Since I'm self-employed part-time in addition to my W-2 job, it helped me properly allocate a portion of my phone expenses to my Schedule C business, which is still fully deductible. It also gave me a simple tracking system that takes literally seconds each day but provides the documentation I'd need in case of an audit. Didn't know these options existed and my regular tax software never flagged this for me!

If you need to talk to the IRS about this or any employee expense issue, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar issue last year - their hold times are insane. With Claimyr, I got a callback from the IRS in under 45 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, it navigates the IRS phone tree for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is about to answer. Completely changed my experience dealing with the IRS.

I need to eat some crow here. After calling the service I mentioned above a scam, I actually tried Claimyr when I needed to talk to the IRS about an audit notice. I was desperate after spending 3 hours on hold one day before getting disconnected. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I went about my day, and about 2 hours later got a call connecting me directly to an IRS agent. Saved me hours of sitting by the phone with that awful hold music. The agent I spoke with confirmed that while I can't deduct my personal cell phone as an employee expense anymore, they helped me understand some other deductions I was eligible for. Honestly worth it just for my sanity.

One workaround some people use is to have a dedicated "work only" phone line added to their plan rather than mixing personal and work use. This way it's clearer that it's 100% for business. If you're self-employed even part-time, this can be deductible on Schedule C. This doesn't help W-2 employees directly, but it's another way to approach your employer for reimbursement since you can clearly show it's entirely for work purposes.

Has anyone used TurboTax to try to claim this? I feel like it used to let me enter unreimbursed job expenses but now I can't find where to do it.

Just wanted to add some clarity here since there's been a lot of discussion about different options. The bottom line is that for most W-2 employees, you cannot deduct personal cell phone expenses on your federal tax return for 2024 - this has been suspended since 2018 and continues through 2025. However, there are a few legitimate options worth exploring: 1. **State returns**: Some states still allow these deductions even though federal doesn't. Check your specific state's rules. 2. **Employer reimbursement**: This is really your best bet. Document your work usage percentage and approach HR with a business case. Many companies will reimburse at least partially once they understand the cost. 3. **Mixed employment status**: If you have any self-employment income (1099 work, side business, etc.), you may be able to allocate a portion of phone expenses to Schedule C. For documentation, you don't need to log every single call and text. The IRS generally accepts reasonable estimates if you can show how you calculated your work vs. personal usage percentage. Keep records of your method and any supporting documentation. The key is being realistic about your work usage percentage and having a logical way to support that number if questioned.