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Police Officer Deductions


Terry D EA

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Client is a police officer who also works as a school resource officer. As a resource officer, he is paid via 1099 Misc. A school resource officer is a  sub-contractor and does not work for the school system. So, with that said, my client has listed several expenses with some that I am questioning. Cleaning of uniforms is a legitimate expense, and work boots specific for the job ( I am questioning this as well because they can be used for both places and of course no 2016 this year). Hair cuts?????? No correct? I don't know why I am even asking that one. 

Same client has rental property and bought a mower specified for his rental activities. I need a bit of help on how this is depreciated. He has three properties that it is used on. 

Thanks

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If the mower was for a business, you could expense it. This is for rental property. Abby, would you be able to expense it on the Sch E as supplies? 

As far as the police expenses go, you are supposed to figure out the total expenses and take a percent of those expenses on the Sch C.  Policing the school as a "resource officer" is the very same thing as his regular duty. He's in uniform, he's still a cop. It's the same job, second location. He still uses the same training, uniform, packs heat, might have union dues that cover additional liabilities. 

Hey, I might be aggressive because my kid's been a cop for 16 years and I know how much they spend to be entrenched in society. But, I'm legal. So, I say figure the expenses, figure the percent, and take it on the C. 1099 income divided by (1099+W2) to get the percent of Sch C gross to total gross. Most of the time, I eyeball it. 

Something is very wrong when a teacher can take an above the line deduction of $250 (and I don't know a single one called out to show receipts) and a cop can't expense a gun, boots and laundering his uniform. It makes me sick, actually. 

RANT OVER. THANK YOU. 

#ifeelbetter

#pleasedon'tfireme

#idonate

 

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Thanks, I did take the expenses except the hair cuts and the gym. I'm still on the fence with the gym Physical fitness is a requirement of the job. I'm looking for a reference or something to support this. I did expense the mower as well and did as Abby said, divided it three ways.

BTW- I am a teacher and yes, I do take the 250 deduction. Also, I spend quite a bit more than 250.00 per year providing for my students in one form or other. Some kids take field trips with me that have no funds to buy breakfast, lunch; etc. I fund those all of the time. I purchase technology items to use in the classroom. I teach automotive technology and have purchased many parts to help a kid out. Yes, I keep receipts. Yes, my heart goes out to law enforcement. They are seriously under paid for what they do. Teachers do not have cushy jobs. Most say we whine and get paid all summer to stay home. That is as far from the truth as it gets. I am a 10 month employee and am unemployed for two months each year. No, I cannot collect unemployment for those two months. While the summer is supposed to be leisure time, I spend a good amount of that time at training seminars and taking my kids to contests after school all without pay.  Oh year those holidays,  the majority of the time is spent working. Eight hour days??? Not hardly. Trust me, the $250.00 is an insult. I am considered a veteran teacher here in NC. With that status, I have not gotten any significant raise since 2007 when we had to give some of our salary back to the State. Younger teachers and teachers with less than 6 years experience have received the highest percentage of the increases given by the State. Veteran teachers have not receive any more than 1% and in some cases nothing at all. This is why most, if not all, teachers work two jobs. I have worked two jobs my entire career plus this tax business for the last 22 years. I am happily retiring from teaching in two years. 

My response is to not take anything away from law enforcement. They put their life on the line every day and I can't imagine going to work and wondering if I will be coming home at the end of the day. Yes, they have crappy hours too and deserve so much more.

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Terry, in no way was I putting teachers down, and I pray you didn't take that the wrong way. 

I'm just saying, don't our Police deserve something? That's all. 

Thank you for your response, and truly, I didn't mean to offend anyone. 

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23 hours ago, Possi said:

Terry, in no way was I putting teachers down, and I pray you didn't take that the wrong way. 

I'm just saying, don't our Police deserve something? That's all. 

Thank you for your response, and truly, I didn't mean to offend anyone. 

No offense taken. Yes, our police officers deserve more than they currently receive. I have a lot of friends who are police officers and quite frankly, at least three in my client base. One is on bicycle patrol and checks on my office frequently. That is irreplaceable. 

On another note, and as with any profession, folks who are not in the trenches normally can't appreciate what all is involved in doing a particular job. Just like us, some folks don't have any idea what it takes to be a professional tax preparer. The last nonsense I heard was that only took you half an hour to prepare and you charge what????

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1 minute ago, Terry D said:

The last nonsense I heard was that only took you half an hour to prepare and you charge what????

The last I heard was... I just overnighted my tax package to you..... me~ I'll file your extension.... WHAT? WHY? It's only the 3rd! The deadline isn't until the 15th! me~ Tell that to the 60 ahead of you! 

(Oh no you didn't just tell me when the deadline is....) (ok, I might have overstated that number) (your fee just went up) 

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Tax preparers, teachers, cops, and firefighters are all unsung heroes and forgotten until something happens to put them in the spotlight.   Much of my client base is teachers, cops, and firefighters and over the years I would do my best to deduct for them whatever was reasonable.    Sometimes in a police precinct or firehouse word gets around that someone deducted a new watch every year, or a haircut, or gym membership.  I would politely explain that if you were not a cop you wouldn't want to know what time it is?  Or to the firefighter you would never get a haircut (more on this later).   If you didn't need to you would not go to the gym for personal health.  If all that were true we would have a bunch of hairy, out of shape public servants who couldn't give you the time of day.  Those people would not be good public servants.

Back in the early 70s we had a fire commissioner who didn't like the idea of new firemen coming on the job who were veterans of the Woodstock era.  Regulations were put in place for parochial school haircuts and mustaches that couldn't go past the corners of your mouth.   I was one of those long hairs and we took the FD to court.  We lost.    That started the haircut deduction frenzy, but it wouldn't fly.

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