Tax deductions for transportation to an from work

1. 59

   ib radmastersposted 12 years ago

   As the price of gasoline exceeds four dollars a gallon in the United State, shouldn't those costs of earning a wage be tax deductible?
   
   Is it fair for the government to not factor in the cost of how you have to get back and forth to work. Someone that makes ten dollars an hour and has to spend ten dollars to get to work everyday is working one hour just to pay for transportation.
   
   In Southern California people commute long distances to get to their jobs. Many people travel more than fifty miles in one direction to their jobs.
   
   When the price of gas was a couple of dollars a gallon, that was not so bad. And since those times, salaries have not really risen commensurate with the costs of getting to your job.
   
   I hope that this question was clear.

   replyreport
   1. 87

      Millionaire Tipsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is clear, and I agree.  It's only deductible as you travel from job to job, but not getting there in the first place. I think they want to encourage us to move closer to our jobs, since moving expenses are deductible if you are doing it to get closer to your job.

      replyreport
      1. 59

         ib radmastersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         With the job and housing market, there is little likelihood that people can move period. Today people have to go where they can get a job.
         My point is that taxing the gross wages is not fair because it costs money to get to your job. It is not like I am saying they we should be getting paid for commute times.

         replyreport
         1. 89

            wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            You are effectively asking the rest of the country to subsidize your desire to live far from work.
            
            If you want to do that, fine, but don't ask others to cover the cost of your travel.  If it isn't worth it to you to pay the cost of that travel, choose a job closer to home that pays less.  Or move closer to the job where the cost of housing is likely very much higher.
            
            I used to live next door to a good friend that commuted 70 miles each way, from a rural county in central Va to Wash DC.  The job paid well (much better than my local one) but he had to buy a new car every other year, plus cover gas, repairs, tires, etc.  Plus sit in that car for over 4 hours each day.  Not worth it to me, and I never offered to help out with his gas costs any more than he offered to help pay my mortgage with his higher earnings.  It's a matter of choice.

            replyreport
   2. 61

      Davesworldposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Years ago I worked as a consultant.  I could deduct the cost of travelling to client sites if and only if it was farther to do that than it was for me to drive to the consulting company's office - and then only the difference.  For instance, if it was 25 miles to the main office and 27 miles to the customer, I could deduct expenses for two miles.  If it was only 15 miles to the customer, that was my gain and I didn't have to report it.  Essentially, it was assumed that I would be driving 25 miles every day and only the excess was deductable.

      replyreport
2. 60

   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   Gasoline is actually undervalued right now.
   
   When compared to prices in gold and silver, the price of gasoline can only go up.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      ib radmastersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe someday it will be cheaper to run on gold and silver..

      replyreport
3. 61

   kanaiyaposted 12 years ago

   nice

   replyreport
4. 81

   WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

   I wish our petrol (gasoline)in the UK was dirt cheap like yours still is in the US!
   
   As for subsidising costs of travel to work, that is plain ridiculous. If people want to live in nice places outside of the city where they work, that is their decision. I do not see why anyone else should pay to support their lifestyle choices. After all, they can always get a job nearer to where they live, find a way of working from home or move house!
   
   I work from home as a freelance so I do not have travel costs. However, I have to pay extra to heat my house during the working day, I do not have an employer paying into my pension fund and giving me holiday pay, a staff restaurant, gym membership, private health and dental insurance and all the other perks many employees get. By your logic, I should be whining that I have a right to be subsidised for all of these benefits.

   replyreport