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

The answer is a bit nuanced. Generally, everyday food and beverages (including coffee) are considered personal expenses and aren't deductible, even if you consume them while working. The IRS is pretty strict about this. However, there are some situations where you might be able to deduct coffee purchases: 1. If you're meeting with clients at the cafe and buying coffee for them, that would fall under business entertainment/meals (subject to 50% limitation). 2. If you're traveling away from your tax home overnight for business, coffee might qualify as a travel expense. 3. If you're providing coffee for actual employees or contractors that work for you (not just yourself). Unfortunately, just buying coffee for yourself while you work, even if you're doing it to use the cafe's wifi, generally won't qualify as a deductible business expense. The IRS considers this a personal expense since everyone needs to eat and drink regardless of whether they're working.

I had the exact same question last year when I started freelancing! After lots of research and talking with other freelancers, I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that specifically helps independent contractors identify deductible expenses. I uploaded my receipts and bank statements, and it flagged which coffee purchases might be deductible based on my work patterns and locations. The tool helped me understand that while regular coffee for myself wasn't clearly deductible, it did identify the coffee purchases during client meetings as potential legitimate deductions. It also helped me document when I was paying for wifi/workspace access vs just personal coffee consumption. Saved me hours of guesswork!

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that was mentioned earlier. After uploading my last 3 months of receipts and bank statements, it was eye-opening! The tool actually identified that my "coffee expenses" fell into different categories - some were clearly personal, but others were legitimate business expenses. For instance, when I bought coffee during documented client meetings or when I paid for the "workspace package" at my local cafe (which includes coffee + guaranteed table + premium wifi), those were flagged as potential business expenses. It also helped me set up a system to better track these expenses going forward. The peace of mind knowing which deductions are defensible is honestly worth it - no more guessing!

Hey fellow contractors! After spending HOURS on hold trying to get someone at the IRS to give me a straight answer about business deductions (including the coffee question), I finally discovered https://claimyr.com and used their service to get through to an actual human at the IRS. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical at first, but they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I wasted previously. The agent clarified that while routine coffee for myself isn't deductible, there ARE specific situations where it could be (business travel, client meetings, etc.). Having that official clarification was huge for my peace of mind.

I need to eat my words and apologize. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr myself because I had a completely unrelated issue with my quarterly estimated payments not being properly credited. It actually worked exactly as described. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes (which is MIRACULOUS compared to my previous attempts). While they couldn't resolve my specific issue immediately, they transferred me to the right department without me having to call back and wait on hold again. For what it's worth, the agent also confirmed what others have said about the coffee question - buying yourself coffee while working is generally considered a personal expense, not a business deduction. Saved me from making a potentially questionable deduction on my return.

Has anyone tried deducting a percentage of their coffee purchases? Like I spend about 5 hours at cafes specifically for work purposes when my home internet is down. I only buy coffee there to use their space. What if I deducted like 80% of those specific purchases as a business necessity?

Former barista here! A lot of cafes now offer actual coworking packages where the coffee is included as part of workspace rental. If you're using these places regularly, ask if they have a coworking option - might be tax deductible since you're paying for the workspace, not technically the coffee itself.

I'm a freelance graphic designer and had a similar situation. What I ended up doing was creating a clear distinction between "workspace rental" and personal coffee purchases. I now exclusively work at cafes that offer day passes or coworking memberships rather than just buying individual coffees. My main spot charges $20/day for unlimited wifi, guaranteed seating, and beverages included - this is clearly a business expense for workspace rental. For cafes that don't have formal coworking options, I ask the manager if they can create a receipt that shows "workspace use + beverage" rather than just "coffee." Most are happy to accommodate this since they want regular customers. The key is being able to show the IRS that you're paying for workspace access (deductible) rather than just buying coffee (personal expense). Documentation is everything - keep receipts that clearly show the business purpose of your payment.