How can I get reimbursed for my Home Office as a salaried employee with tax benefits for my employer?

Thanks so much for the info! Two follow-up questions: 1) Is there a minimum requirement for the workspace size compared to my apartment? My desk setup is maybe 30 square feet in a 750 square foot apartment. 2) Would my bosses need to do anything special to set up this "accountable plan" or is it just a matter of me submitting receipts?

There's no minimum size requirement - it's all about the percentage of your home being used. In your case, 30 out of 750 square feet is 4% of your apartment, so you could potentially be reimbursed for 4% of your rent and utilities. For the accountable plan, your employer needs to create a formal policy that requires you to submit documentation of expenses, return any excess payments, and submit expenses within a reasonable timeframe. They should have this in writing, but it doesn't need to be complicated - just clear about the requirements. Many small businesses use simple forms for tracking these expenses.

Does taxr.ai work if you're an independent contractor too? I do freelance work and have a home office but I'm always confused about what I can legitimately deduct.

I'm skeptical about these online tools. How does it actually calculate your home office percentage? My apartment has weird dimensions and a lot of unusable space. Does it just do square footage or something more sophisticated?

It absolutely works for independent contractors! In fact, it's probably even more valuable for you since you can directly deduct home office expenses on Schedule C. The tool guides you through all the requirements and helps you determine if you meet the "regular and exclusive use" test that the IRS requires. For apartments with unusual layouts, it helps you calculate both the square footage method and the room method. You can upload your floor plan or enter measurements manually, and it adjusts for unusable spaces. It's way more sophisticated than just dividing total square footage - it actually follows IRS guidelines for what counts as usable space.

Wait, there's actually a way to talk to a real person at the IRS without wasting your entire day? How does that even work? I tried calling them about my missing refund last year and gave up after being on hold for 2+ hours.

This sounds like BS honestly. Nothing can get you through to the IRS faster. They're understaffed and overwhelmed. Are you sure you're not just trying to sell something here?

The service basically calls the IRS for you and navigates the phone tree until they get a human, then they call you and connect you directly to that agent. They use some kind of technology that keeps your place in line so you don't have to sit there listening to the hold music for hours. I was skeptical too! But consider this - IRS phone lines get around 100 million calls a year with only about 10% getting through to an agent. Most people just hang up after waiting. This service just does the waiting for you. I'm not affiliated with them at all - just someone who had a good experience when I was desperate to resolve my tax situation.

Yikes, that's exactly what I'm worried about. What specific documentation should I make sure my employer has? And what does "exclusively for work" actually mean in practice? Can I occasionally use my work computer to check personal email or is that a no-no?

For documentation, your employer needs to have a written policy that states employees must submit expenses within a reasonable time (usually 60 days), provide receipts or similar documentation, and return any excess reimbursement within a reasonable time. They should have you fill out a form showing the business purpose of each expense. On the "exclusive use" question - that's actually a bit of a gray area. The strict interpretation is that the space should only be used for business, but in reality, the IRS recognizes that's nearly impossible with a desk in a living room. What matters most is that you're using it primarily for work during working hours. Occasional personal use (checking email, etc.) won't invalidate the arrangement. Just don't try to claim a space that's clearly used for multiple purposes (like your dining table).

That's what my company does too! They give us $150/month for "home office expenses" but it's fully taxed. I asked about submitting actual expenses instead and they said it was too much administrative work for them to track. Super frustrating.