Can mechanics still write off tools, toolboxes and uniforms in 2025 tax year?
I'm an HVAC technician and I've been spending a ton on tools and work clothes this year. In the past, I was always able to claim work expenses like my tools, toolbox, and those required uniform shirts as employee deductions on my taxes. But I heard something changed with the tax laws? I was talking to a coworker who said we can't write these off anymore as employee deductions, but we might be able to do some kind of adjustment to our income instead? I'm looking at about $2,800 in new specialty tools I had to buy this year, plus around $350 in uniform costs that my company requires but doesn't reimburse. How do I handle these necessary work expenses on my taxes now? Is there any way to still get some tax benefit from all this money I'm forced to spend just to do my job? Really appreciate any advice - tax season is coming up fast and I'm trying to get prepared early.
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Carmen Flores
The tax law changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated unreimbursed employee business expenses as itemized deductions for W-2 employees through 2025. This means if you're employed by someone else (getting a W-2), you generally can't deduct those work-related tools, uniforms, and toolboxes anymore. However, you have a few potential options: Ask your employer about an accountable plan where they reimburse you for these expenses. These reimbursements wouldn't be taxable income to you, and your employer gets the deduction. If you do any side work as an independent contractor (getting 1099 income), you can deduct expenses related to that work on Schedule C. But these deductions only apply to self-employment work, not your W-2 job. Some states still allow these deductions on state returns even though federal doesn't. Worth checking if your state permits these deductions.
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Andre Dubois
•Would setting up an LLC help in this situation? Could OP have their employer pay the LLC instead of receiving a W-2? I've heard some tradespeople do this to keep deducting their tools.
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Carmen Flores
•Setting up an LLC doesn't automatically change your tax situation - what matters is your worker classification. The IRS has strict rules about who qualifies as an independent contractor versus an employee. Simply creating an LLC and having your employer pay it instead of you personally would likely be considered misclassification if your working relationship otherwise meets the definition of employment. The determination is based on factors like control over work, who provides tools and equipment, payment structure, and the permanence of the relationship. Misclassification can lead to penalties for both parties, so it's not a simple workaround.
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CyberSamurai
I was in a similar situation with my construction job. The tax changes had me scrambling to figure out what to do with all my equipment expenses. I found this AI service that actually helped sort everything out - https://taxr.ai - it analyzed all my receipts and pay stubs, then showed me exactly which expenses I could still deduct based on my specific situation. The tool found that some of my work was actually qualifying for contractor status (even though I didn't realize it) and showed me how to properly document everything. It basically recovered about $1,700 in deductions I would've missed otherwise.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Does it work for figuring out other deductions too? I've got a pile of medical receipts and charity stuff I'm not sure about.
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Jamal Carter
•I'm skeptical about AI tax tools. How does it compare to just using TurboTax or H&R Block? Those at least have human CPAs you can talk to if you upgrade.
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CyberSamurai
•It definitely handles other deductions - medical expenses, charitable donations, home office, all that stuff. The receipt scanning feature is super helpful with organizing everything by category. For comparison with tax software, the main difference I found is that it's more like having an actual tax pro look at your specific situation rather than just answering generic questions. It found several deductions that TurboTax missed when I compared them side by side. You can still use your regular tax software afterward - this just helps identify what you should be claiming.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try that taxr.ai thing after seeing it mentioned here. Uploaded all my receipts including those medical bills I mentioned, and it found over $4,200 in deductions I would have missed! It even showed me that my weekend handyman work technically qualified as self-employment, so I could deduct a portion of my tools against that income. Really simple to use and definitely worth it for anyone with complicated tax situations or lots of potential deductions.
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Mei Liu
For anyone struggling to get actual answers from the IRS about specific work expense questions - I was in the same boat. Called for weeks and couldn't get through. Finally used this service https://claimyr.com that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed exactly which of my work expenses qualified under current tax law and which didn't. Saved me hours of hold time and uncertainty. For the HVAC tools specifically, the agent explained that while W-2 employees can't deduct these anymore on federal returns, they confirmed my state still allows them on the state return.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Wait so this service just helps you skip the IRS phone queue? How exactly does that work? The IRS phone system is notoriously awful.
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Jamal Carter
•This sounds like a scam. There's no way to "skip the line" with a government agency. They probably just put you on hold themselves and then connect you when they finally get through.
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Mei Liu
•It uses an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an actual agent picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. It's not "skipping" in the sense of cutting in line - it's more like having someone else wait in line for you. The service literally just handles the frustrating part where you'd normally be waiting on hold for hours. Once you're connected, you're talking directly to the same IRS agents anyone else would talk to. Nothing sketchy about it - you're getting the official IRS guidance, just without the hold time.
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Jamal Carter
I was definitely wrong about Claimyr. After seeing it mentioned here, I was super skeptical but decided to try it anyway since I had a complicated question about deducting my tools as a part-time independent contractor while also being a W-2 employee. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes (would have been hours of hold time otherwise). The agent walked me through exactly how to allocate my tool expenses between my W-2 job (not deductible) and my 1099 work (deductible on Schedule C). Totally changed my understanding of how to handle my tax situation.
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Amara Nwosu
If you're a W-2 employee, your best option is to ask your employer for an "accountable plan" reimbursement. I did this at my plumbing job. Basically, I submit receipts for tools and uniforms to my boss, and they reimburse me tax-free. Company gets the write-off instead of me. If they won't do that, make sure to track all these expenses anyway. Tax laws change, and there's always a possibility these deductions could come back after 2025. Plus, keeping good records helps if you ever start doing side jobs as a contractor.
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AstroExplorer
•Does an accountable plan work for things you've already purchased? I bought like $1500 in tools this year already without getting pre-approval or anything.
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Amara Nwosu
•An accountable plan can work retroactively if your employer agrees to implement one. There's no IRS requirement that expenses must be pre-approved, though your specific employer might have their own rules about what they'll reimburse. The key requirements for an accountable plan are that the expenses must have a business connection, you need to adequately account for them within a reasonable time (provide receipts and documentation), and you must return any excess reimbursement within a reasonable time. Talk to your employer about their willingness to set this up - many don't know about this option but might be open to it since it benefits them too.
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Giovanni Moretti
Has anyone tried to get around this by forming an S-Corp? My buddy claims he saves thousands by having his construction company pay his S-Corp instead of him directly, and then all his tools are business expenses.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•That only works if you're legitimately an independent contractor, not an employee. The IRS looks at the actual working relationship, not just how you're paid. If you're treated like an employee (set hours, employer control, benefits, etc.), setting up an S-Corp could get both you and employer in trouble for misclassification.
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Mei-Ling Chen
The elimination of unreimbursed employee business expense deductions really hit trades workers hard. For your $2,800 in tools and $350 in uniforms, here are your realistic options: **Immediate solutions:** - Ask your employer about setting up an accountable plan for reimbursement. This makes the expenses tax-free to you and deductible for them. - Check if your state still allows these deductions on your state tax return (many do). - If you do any side HVAC work as a contractor, those tool expenses can be deducted against that 1099 income on Schedule C. **Documentation is key:** Keep all receipts regardless. Tax laws could change after 2025, and good records help if you transition to contractor work or start a side business. **Reality check:** For W-2 employees, there's unfortunately no federal workaround that doesn't involve actual changes to your employment structure or getting employer reimbursement. The accountable plan route is honestly your best bet - many employers are willing once they understand it benefits them too. Don't get caught up in complex entity structures unless you're genuinely ready to become an independent contractor with all the risks and responsibilities that entails.
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Mason Lopez
•This is really helpful, thanks! I had no idea about the accountable plan option. How do I approach my employer about this without sounding like I'm trying to get around taxes? They're pretty traditional and might not understand the benefit to them. Also, do you know which states typically still allow these deductions? I'm in Ohio and haven't been able to find clear info on whether they follow federal rules or have their own.
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