I know I can deduct travel expenses and various other things since I live more than 100 miles from my ANG base. 730 miles to be exact.

My normal way to get to base is to non-rev to an airport, rent a car, and drive to the base which is 75 miles away from said airport.

How do I deduct these travel expenses? Do I use mileage for the whole distance? Do I use mileage from the airport to the base? Do I use actual rental car cost + gas and no mileage?

Help!

Unless an expert knows better, it would be very, very sketchy to deduct non-rev mileage that cost you nothing. A mileage deduction assumes you're incurring costs.

I think you should give up on mileage between home and drill site, the nonrev makes it too hard.

I think you could deduct the cost (or some specified percentage) of the rental car + gas. Rather than one-way mileage, it's a cost incurred incidental to the duty...needed for travel from the airport, to/from berthing and messing, and possibly business-related in-and-around. Run it by your accountant.

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p3/...link1000176171

Direct link to discussion on reservist travel expenses.

Off the cuff I would tend to agree with Rickair. You can deduct unreimbursed travel expenses. There is no expense associated with nonrev travel. Travel to your home airport and parking, and the rental car, gas, etc. at the other end are all deductible.

The IRS publishes all sorts of detailed information on various tax issues and questions can often be answered with a quick online search. That's what I did.

If you have any questions at all, consult an tax professional or attorney. I am neither. I am just some guy on a message board.

"unreimbursed expense" are the key words.

Non-rev = $0 expense, so no deduction (unless you do in fact pay something)

rental car/tolls/gas - deductible since you meet the 100 mile test, provided it is not reimbursed by the military.

you would only use actual mileage if you drove your own car.