How to properly complete multiple Schedule C forms for home-based businesses

You definitely don't want to claim the same expense twice on different Schedule C forms - that would be double-dipping and could flag your return for an audit. When you have multiple businesses operating from your home, you need to allocate the home office deduction between them. The key is determining how much space each business uses and how much time you spend on each. If you use the same space for both businesses, you'll need to divide based on usage time. For the simplified method, you can claim up to $5 per square foot (max 300 sq ft) for a total of $1,500, but you'd need to allocate this between both businesses based on usage. For the regular method, calculate the percentage of your home used for business, then apply that to expenses like rent and utilities, and divide between the businesses based on usage time or space.

I was in exactly your situation last year with multiple side gigs from home. I spent hours trying to figure out the Schedule C forms until I discovered taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai and it completely simplified everything. It analyzed my situation and helped me properly allocate my home office expenses between my businesses without double-counting. The tool walks you through exactly how to split expenses like rent between multiple Schedule Cs based on usage. It even pointed out some deductions I was missing! For my home office, it helped me calculate the exact square footage percentage and suggested the best method for my situation.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I decided to try it despite my initial skepticism and it was seriously helpful. I uploaded my documents and it identified that I was actually underclaiming some legitimate business expenses across my Schedule C forms. The allocation method it suggested for my home office (based on hours worked on each business) made complete sense and was fully documented. What I appreciated most was how it explained the difference between exclusive and regular use requirements for home office deductions. Turns out I was being too conservative with my deductions! It generated a complete audit defense file that explains all my deductions if I ever need to justify them to the IRS. Definitely made handling multiple Schedule Cs less intimidating.

If you're having trouble figuring out your Schedule C forms, you'll probably also struggle getting help from the IRS directly. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS for clarification on this exact issue. After waiting on hold for hours multiple times, I finally discovered Claimyr at https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes! I was honestly shocked it worked. The agent walked me through exactly how to allocate home office expenses across multiple Schedule C forms and explained the documentation I should keep. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - it basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue so you don't have to stay on hold yourself. Totally changed my perspective on getting tax help.

I have to apologize for doubting that Claimyr service. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway out of desperation since I had the same Schedule C allocation questions as the original poster. The service actually worked exactly as described - I got a call back with an IRS agent on the line after about an hour. The agent confirmed that for multiple businesses using the same home office space, you should allocate the deduction based on the time spent on each business. She explained I need to keep a log of hours worked on each business to substantiate the allocation. Most importantly, she confirmed that claiming the same exact expenses on multiple Schedule C forms would be considered duplicate deductions and could trigger an audit. Saved me from making a costly mistake!

Another important thing to consider with Schedule C and home office deductions is that you need to be using the space "regularly and exclusively" for business. If you're using your bedroom or living room that you also use for personal purposes, you likely can't claim the home office deduction at all. Make sure you have a dedicated space that's used only for these businesses. Otherwise, focus on other business expenses like supplies, software subscriptions, internet (partially), and any costs directly tied to your services.

Has anybody used TurboTax for multiple Schedule C forms? Their interface is confusing me when trying to allocate home expenses between different businesses.

Just wanted to add some clarity on the home office deduction allocation since I went through this exact situation last year. When you have multiple businesses operating from the same home space, the IRS expects you to use a reasonable method to allocate expenses. The most common approaches are: 1. Time-based allocation - if you spend 70% of your work hours on consulting and 30% on VA services, split your home office deduction accordingly 2. Revenue-based allocation - divide based on the income each business generates 3. Equal allocation - 50/50 split if both businesses use the space equally Document whichever method you choose with records like time logs, income statements, or usage schedules. The key is being consistent and reasonable - the IRS cares more about having a logical system than the specific method you use. Also, that $1,500 tax bill might be accurate unfortunately. Remember that as a self-employed person, you're paying both regular income tax AND self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare) on your net profit. Even small amounts of self-employment income can result in surprising tax bills due to the 15.3% self-employment tax rate.