Thread: Luggage?
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Old 04-17-2016 | 07:09 PM
  #18  
MaxThrustPower
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Originally Posted by Turbosina
Luggage expenses (unreimbursed employee expenses) are only deductible if the total of your unreimbursed employee expenses exceeds 2% of your adjusted gross income. So for example if your AGI is $100K, you'd have to spend $2K in unreimbursed employee expenses before you could deduct a penny, and only the amount in excess of $2K would be deductible.
Originally Posted by HighFlight
And don't forget that the 2% for miscellaneous deductions only comes into play if you are already over the standard deduction, which is hard to do unless one owns a home.


Yes, those are both correct and valid points. I haven't always been able to itemize since I haven't owned a home every year I've worked in the airlines and that does make a huge difference in exceeding the 'standard deduction.'

However, IF a pilot does own a home, exceeding the 2% limitation for many commercial pilots is not very difficult, especially if you consider all of our allowable deductions.

First, if your company is unionized, your union dues alone may go a long way towards the first 2%.

Second, most airlines hourly per diem pay rate is much less than the allowable IRS rates for per diem, especially to expensive major US city layovers or to international cities. Accurately computing it to stand up to an audit can be difficult without a third-party service and I didn't take advantage of this deduction myself for a long time. However, depending on your situation, it can easily be hundreds if not thousands of dollars that you are allowed to legitimately claim. Two popular websites that cater to pilots and flight attendants are EZ-Per Diem and Pro-Diem (www.ezperdiem.com and pro-diem.com).

Many crewmembers will exceed the first 2% with these two deductions alone!

Now, let's get going with all the other allowable deductions. It goes without saying that documentation and receipts are definitely required!!

* Uniform purchases. (Don't forget items you purchase for specifically work alone like shoes, socks, and belts.)

* Uniform dry-cleaning and laundry. (But you must have it professionally done; you can't deduct home laundry.)

* Uniform repairs or alterations done by a professional seamstress.

* Luggage (rollaboard, flight bag, etc.) Replacement or repairs.

* Aviation headsets. Replacement or repairs. Batteries if needed.

* Aviation sunglasses since we must use special non-polarized lenses in the cockpit.

* Flashlights and batteries for your flight bag.

* Computer software and/or paper logbooks for record-keeping purposes.

* Tips to the hotel van driver or to hotel housekeeping.

* Bidding software or computer services that cater specifically to pilots.

* FAA Medical Exams. Maybe as much as two times per year for many pilots.

* Type ratings, training, and licensing fees you paid for out-of-pocket.

* Unreimbursed expenses related to keeping your passport current or for Global Entry privileges, etc.

* Aviation-related books such as new copies of the AIM/FARs or books related to improving our professional knowledge.

* Professional publications related to our industry, such as subscriptions to Aviation Week.

* Unreimbursed transportation expenses (that are NOT related to commuting.) Taxi's, etc.

(My company Flight Manual Part I tells me that I have to be contactable by telephone and as a crewmember, especially if I am on Reserve duty. And I am expected to download my publications, do my monthly bidding, accesss my employee HR services, and much other company-related business on the internet so I must have internet access at home. Many pilots claim anywhere from 25% to 100% of these expenses.)

* Cellphone expenses.

* Internet expenses.

(My company Flight Manual Part I tells me that I must meet strict grooming standards; therefore, I get haircuts more often than I would if I worked in other industries. so like cellphone and internet, I can deduct a portion of those expenses.)

* Haircuts.

My medical certificate says I must wear corrective lenses (for reading.) And I am required to carry a second pair of eyeglasses in the cockpit as a spare as part of my required equipment.

* Eyeglasses (2nd pair).

This is just a short list of some examples of expenses that can be itemized. I'm sure with a little checking around, you can find many other examples.

Just be careful and don't get TOO 'creative' with what you claim. You need to be able to substantiate the requirement and show receipts if there are questions raised in an audit later.
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