Ask Dr ElJay (or DeeDub?)

[feuervogel]

Car-related: I had an oil change done a few weeks ago, and they didn't charge me for synthetic oil, so I assume they used 'regular.' Despite the sticker on my engine that says "only use synthetic oil of this particular variety." Will this affect my car in a negative way? For those of you who don't know, my car is a 2005 Mini Cooper S (about to hit 50k miles).

Other:

Can I write my cell phone off as a work-related expense? It's not required for my job, but I use it as my primary telephone contact number, and I periodically send email from my phone (using my mobile data plan.) I don't know what the applicable tax law is, or if there's some sort of percentage-based guideline.

Comments

[feuervogel]

We don't have an accountant, because accountants cost money, and with my ... inconsistent employment (and the $3k+ of vet bills on one cat so far this year), paying an accountant is near the bottom of our priorities. Now, in the event that I finish and sell this novel, it becomes a different story, because 1040-Cs are mindboggling.

As a contractor, I can write my mileage off. My current contract paid mileage the first 3 or 4 weeks, but refuses to continue to do so, so I'm writing off the mileage thereafter (on my 2010 taxes.) I'm not an independent contractor, since I go through an agency (which handles all my withholding and everything ... I earned all of $6k at that job last year.)

If it were another taxpayer? Considering my phone plan is $100/mo and you can write off like a third of the expense, it amounts to a whopping, what, $360? In the grand scheme of things, it barely feels significant. Unlike, say, private jets.