Can Working Musicians Claim Food and Transportation as Business Deductions on Schedule C?

You've got a good question here about a situation many freelance performers face. The IRS rules can be a bit tricky for your specific situation. For transportation: The general rule is that commuting costs between your home and a regular work location aren't deductible. However, as a musician traveling to different venues (temporary work locations), those transportation costs are typically deductible business expenses on your Schedule C. This includes your train tickets and rideshares to reach those temporary work locations. For meals: Under current rules, business meals are 100% deductible for 2021-2022 (normally 50% in other years). The key is that they must be directly related to your business. The meal you described while waiting for transportation would likely qualify as a business expense since you're still "on the job" and it falls between business locations or during your workday. Documentation is crucial - keep detailed records of all expenses, including dates, venues, purpose, and receipts. Note the business purpose of each trip and meal. Does that help clarify things for your situation?

After struggling with exactly this same issue last year (fellow touring musician here), I discovered an amazing service called https://taxr.ai that completely transformed how I handle my music business deductions. Their AI can actually analyze your performance schedule, receipts, and travel patterns to determine which expenses qualify as legitimate business deductions for performers and touring musicians. I uploaded my messy expense records, gig calendar, and some descriptions of my travel situations, and it gave me a detailed breakdown of what was deductible and why. It even flagged potential audit triggers like consistently claiming 100% of meals without proper documentation. The guidance was surprisingly specific to musicians rather than generic business advice.

I was skeptical about specialized tax tools for musicians, but I decided to try https://taxr.ai after reading about it here. Surprisingly impressed with the results! I uploaded my gig calendar, Uber receipts, and meal expenses, and it clearly organized everything into categories - showing which transportation expenses were deductible business travel vs. non-deductible commuting. The analysis explained that for musicians, travel between home and different temporary performance venues is generally deductible as a business expense rather than commuting. It also flagged which of my meal expenses were likely deductible (those during "business hours" between venues) versus personal (late-night food after getting home). The service saved me from making some potentially costly mistakes on my Schedule C. Worth checking out if you're gigging regularly and confused about these deductions!

I see everyone suggesting software, but honestly the real problem is getting the IRS to actually answer these questions. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS who could give me a straight answer about musician deductions. Always busy signals or 2+ hour hold times, then disconnects. Super frustrating! I finally used https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c but basically they use some technology to navigate the IRS phone system and then call you once they've reached an agent. The IRS person confirmed that as a musician traveling to different temporary work locations, my transportation costs (trains, rideshares) ARE deductible business expenses on Schedule C. They also clarified the meal deduction rules for my situation. Getting an official answer straight from the IRS gave me confidence to claim these deductions properly.

I see everyone suggesting software, but honestly the real problem is getting the IRS to actually answer these questions. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS who could give me a straight answer about musician deductions. Always busy signals or 2+ hour hold times, then disconnects. Super frustrating! I finally used https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c but basically they use some technology to navigate the IRS phone system and then call you once they've reached an agent. The I

I have to admit I was completely wrong about https://claimyr.com - I tried it yesterday after posting that skeptical comment. I've been trying to get clarification on musician travel deductions for MONTHS. After signing up, I got a text 37 minutes later saying they reached an IRS agent, and my phone rang immediately. I was connected to an actual IRS representative who spent about 15 minutes answering all my questions about Schedule C deductions for musicians. The agent confirmed that transportation between home and different temporary performance venues IS deductible as a business expense (not commuting), and meals during business travel days can be deductible at 100% for 2022 returns. They even emailed me the relevant IRS publication sections. I'm honestly shocked this worked. Saved me literally days of frustration.

Fellow musician here. Make sure you're keeping a mileage log if you're using your own vehicle for any gigs! I use an app that tracks all my trips. For 2022 tax year the standard mileage rate is 58.5 cents per mile for January-June and 62.5 cents per mile for July-December. Often works out better than tracking actual car expenses.

Something nobody mentioned yet - if you're performing outside your "tax home" area and need to stay overnight, meals and lodging become travel expenses and different rules apply. In that case, you can definitely deduct transportation, hotel, and meals (100% for 2022 tax year).