What military expenses can I claim as tax write-offs? Guns, ammo, sports equipment?

As a tax preparer who works with many military clients, I need to caution you against some of these deductions. The rules for military personnel aren't as expansive as many believe. Unreimbursed employee expenses (including those uniform items, haircuts, etc.) were largely eliminated for tax years 2018-2025 with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Most active duty military members can no longer deduct these expenses on federal returns. Regarding your specific questions - personal firearms and ammunition would almost certainly not qualify, even if similar to your service weapon. The IRS would view this as personal equipment, not a necessary job expense. The same applies to hockey equipment - while it helps you stay fit, the IRS considers this personal rather than a direct job requirement. Instead of risking an audit, focus on legitimate military tax benefits like tax-free combat pay, moving expense deductions (still available for military), and tax-free housing allowances. Some states also offer specific deductions for military members.

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I was skeptical about taxr.ai at first, but I decided to try it after struggling with my PCS move and rental property questions. The military tax guidance was spot-on! It identified that I could still deduct certain moving expenses (which is only available for military after the tax law changes). It also correctly flagged that my uniform items weren't deductible federally but were deductible in my home state. Saved me from claiming stuff that would have triggered an audit while still maximizing my legitimate deductions. Definitely going back to it this year for my taxes.

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Active duty Navy here. Just a heads up that unreimbursed job expenses are occasionally still deductible on some state returns even if the federal deduction is gone. Check your state tax rules! For example, my home state of Oregon still allows me to deduct uniform expenses and other military costs not reimbursed. Saved me about $150 last year on state taxes.

Definitely DON'T claim those firearms and hockey equipment. My buddy tried something similar (claimed personal gym equipment because of PT tests) and got audited. The IRS agent specifically said physical fitness equipment is personal even though military requires fitness tests.

As someone who's been through multiple deployments and dealt with complicated military tax situations, I'd strongly echo what others have said about avoiding those personal equipment deductions. The IRS is pretty strict about what constitutes a legitimate business expense versus personal equipment. One thing I'd add - if you're looking for ways to maximize your tax benefits as military, focus on the things that are clearly allowed: the moving expense deductions (which are still available for military even after the tax law changes), making sure you're properly excluding combat pay when beneficial, and taking advantage of any state-specific military benefits in your home state. Also, consider contributing to a TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) if you're not already maxing it out. The tax benefits there are substantial and completely legitimate. It's a much better use of your money than risking an audit over equipment that likely won't qualify anyway. The "ask for forgiveness rather than permission" approach with the IRS is definitely not recommended - they don't tend to be very forgiving, and military personnel can face additional scrutiny if there are issues with their taxes.

Active duty Air Force here - I've been dealing with military taxes for about 8 years now and want to emphasize what others have said about being very careful with equipment deductions. The IRS has gotten much stricter about military deductions since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I learned this the hard way when I tried to deduct some tactical gear a few years back, thinking it was job-related. Got a letter from the IRS asking for documentation showing it was "ordinary and necessary" for my military duties. Since I couldn't prove the military required me to purchase it personally (versus issuing it), they disallowed the deduction plus interest. For your specific situation with the pistols and hockey gear - these would almost certainly be classified as personal expenses. The IRS doesn't care if your personal firearms use the same ammo as your duty weapon, or if hockey keeps you in shape for PT tests. They look at whether the military specifically required YOU to purchase these items at your own expense. Focus on the guaranteed benefits instead: TSP contributions, legitimate PCS moving expenses, and if you deploy, make sure you're handling combat pay exclusion correctly. These are worth way more than trying to squeeze deductions out of personal equipment purchases. The audit risk just isn't worth it, especially when there are plenty of legitimate military tax benefits you can take advantage of.