Tax Question for the Instructors Out There

[CG]

It's looks as if I'll be teaching this season. My question is, does gear qualify as a work related expense that can be deducted? Or is it a gray area that will probably end up being more trouble then it's worth?

[mnflyfish]

Way more trouble than it's worth. You can write off a jacket if the ski area requires you buy one. That's about it.

[nealric]

Yeah, probably not a good idea. There is too much potential for non work-related use.

Will you really be in a situation where itemizing deductions makes sense on an instructor salary?

[tylerjames]

it depends on how much you would be earning. full time instructors are able to write off skis and other gear but working part time you won't be able to write it off 100%, at least that's what my accountant told me. apart from deductions, all your ski gear would be covered under your homeowner's insurance if anything got stolen.

i always wondered if you got hurt between lessons would it be under workman's comp?

[Sirshredalot]

If you get hurt between lessons, it is not workman's comp.

You can deduct your gear, but only if you are at a point where you itemize.

[DocChronic]

A stripper can depreciate and take a deduction for her fake tits. <-- not kidding. So yes you can deduct your gear. But as all previous posters have said above i doubt you are itemizing deductions on a ski instructors salary. Unless you are Alberto Tomba giving lessons to the uber rich.

[Dobish]

you can take a deduction as a percentage of how much you use it for work related/vs personal use.

[jesski]

Last year itemized on full time ski instructor's salary b/c had mortgage from previous (real job) life. Gear deductions were issue b/c mostly purchased items thru prodeals and other hookups... aka if someone else (not you) is the official purchaser, there are issues. 2ndhand purchasing (aka CL, misuse of prodeals, TGR Gear Swap, etc.) often does not constitute a biz expense according to my accountant. Anyway, more trouble than it was worth in the end... think I ended up saving like, $34 in taxes due to gear deductions or something stupid.

But if you have receipts, itemize, are a "private contractor," or are a small biz owner, etc. you can deduct pretty much anything you can make a good case for being used larege% for your line of work.

My understanding is that often what you would save in taxes does not justify purchasing thru an authorized retail dealer, if you would otherwise save significant $$ thru other hookups.

[hutash]

...and don't forget to declare all those cash tips, they are income after all