Can I write off a new iPhone for my LLC business expenses?

Yes, you can definitely deduct the cost of a cell phone as a business expense if you're using it for business purposes! Since you're an LLC and using the phone for posting ads, taking calls, and handling payroll, this would qualify as a legitimate business expense. The key thing is to track what percentage of the phone usage is for business versus personal. If you use it 100% for business, you can deduct the entire cost. If it's partially personal, you should only deduct the business portion. Most business owners estimate a reasonable percentage (like 80% business/20% personal) and document this in their records. Since you already have an LLC with a business credit card, I'd recommend using that card to purchase the phone - makes the paper trail much cleaner for tax purposes.

Just wanted to share my experience with this exact situation! I own a small landscaping business and was shocked at how much easier my life got when I started using taxr.ai for my business expense tracking. I was always confused about what I could write off (trucks, equipment, phones) until I started using this tool. For your cell phone situation, they actually helped me understand exactly how to document the business usage portion. I uploaded my phone bill through https://taxr.ai and they automatically categorized which calls/texts were business-related based on my contacts. Saved me hours of manually sorting through everything and gave me confidence I'm not missing deductions I'm entitled to!

I was super skeptical about trying yet another tax tool, but I'm honestly blown away by taxr.ai. I decided to try it after seeing it mentioned here since I had the exact same question about my phone for my consulting business. I uploaded my last three months of phone bills and it identified a 73% business usage pattern based on my call records, texts, and data usage timing (apparently most of my personal stuff happens evenings/weekends, while business is weekday daytime). That specific percentage documentation made me feel way more confident about taking the deduction. Seriously wish I'd known about this for past years - would have saved me so much time figuring out what percentage to use!

If you're like me and waste hours trying to call the IRS to get answers about business deductions, you should try Claimyr. I was trying to get clarity on some LLC expense rules (including tech purchases) and kept hitting that "due to high call volume" message from the IRS for DAYS. Found https://claimyr.com and it seriously changed everything. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for over a week on my own. The agent confirmed my iPhone would be 100% deductible since I have a separate personal phone. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - way better than listening to that hold music for hours!

OK I need to apologize for being so negative on that Claimyr thing. I was having a terrible day dealing with tax stuff and was super skeptical, but I tried it this morning as a last resort. I've been trying to confirm some details about business equipment deductions for my LLC for WEEKS. Got connected to an actual human at the IRS in 17 minutes when I'd wasted like 6+ hours of my life trying before. The agent confirmed that for my situation (single-member LLC) I can deduct 100% of a cell phone IF I have a separate personal phone, otherwise I need to track business use percentage. Honestly still shocked this worked. Posting this because I feel bad for being such a jerk before.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - if you're going to write off a new iPhone, make sure you're depreciating it correctly. Since it's over $200, you should technically depreciate it over 5 years using MACRS depreciation or take Section 179 or bonus depreciation to write it off all at once. I made the mistake of just expensing mine completely in the first year without doing the proper depreciation paperwork and got a letter from the IRS later. Not worth the headache!

I just want to point out that if ur using QuickBooks for ur LLC, there's a feature where you can track business expenses for mixed-use items like phones. I just put in 75% for my iphone and it automatically calculates the deductible portion when i enter the monthly bills. Super easy and creates a paper trail if you ever get audited!

Great question! I'm in a similar situation with my small business. One thing I'd add to what others have mentioned is to document your decision-making process. I keep a simple spreadsheet showing how I determined my business use percentage - things like "take client calls during work hours," "use for business banking apps," "post inventory photos," etc. Also, since you mentioned you're thinking about using your business credit card - definitely do that! It creates a clean paper trail and makes it obvious this was a business purchase. I learned this the hard way when I mixed personal and business purchases on the same card and had to sort through months of statements later. One last tip: if you're getting a high-end iPhone (like the Pro models), keep the receipt and any documentation about why you chose that specific model for business purposes. Sometimes the IRS questions whether premium features are "necessary" for business use, so having a business justification ready can save headaches later.

Adding to what everyone else has said - make sure you understand the difference between deducting the phone purchase versus the monthly service. The phone itself (especially a new iPhone) is considered equipment and might need to be depreciated over several years unless you elect Section 179 or bonus depreciation to expense it immediately. The monthly service bills, on the other hand, are operating expenses that you can deduct each year based on your business use percentage. Since you're an LLC, you have some flexibility here. If you're planning to expense the phone purchase in full this year (rather than depreciate), make sure your tax preparer knows so they can make the appropriate elections on your return. This is especially important if you're buying a higher-end model that costs over $1,000. Also, I'd recommend taking photos of your current phone setup and any business apps you use - this documentation can help support your business use percentage if questions come up later. Good luck with the RV business!