BBA University of Michigan majoring in accounting.

Work tax season for a CPA firm.

Also have several Girl Scout badges :)

That's the part I was hinting at. :lol:

And she stayed last night at a Holiday Inn Express.

Wow, another tax "outlaw" like myself at large....quick, call the IRS storm troopers! :D

Seriously though, this is what I am talking about. Dobry4u is obviously well versed in
this area, but working for a CPA firm isn't necessarily going to expose you to ALL
approaches to filing. Most CPA firms are firmly, strictly adhering to narrow IRS dictates
and aren't liable to be in ANY WAY aggressive for their clients. At least not in relatively
mundane, everyday-working-stiff affairs like this. They're like H.R. Block: just the plain-
vanilla, super safe toe-the-IRS-line deductions, Ma'am.

As I've asserted before, there is a definite reason why form 2106 is available for deducting
employee expenses separate from (and in addition to) the "itemizing" process. It is also
TYPICALLY MISLEADING of the IRS to (seemingly) limit the eligible parties to "reservists,
performing artists, etc."....as is their limiting statement in the "Notes" section that I believe
Dobry4u refers to. Those who blithely accept their self-serving, narrow "rulings"
-- which aren't actual court rulings -- simply genuflect at the altar of our governmental
"church." But I choose not to, as does the quoted person above....and there are CPA's
THAT AGREE WITH THIS APPROACH. Imagine that!

....Because this particular approach has been shown to be legal and allowable, of course.

I suspect these CPA's (that jonp refers to) aren't exactly anarchist skinhead tax protesters,
either. They're just doing a good job for their clients.

Don't really understand what dle's problem is; I've stated repeatedly now that I'm not
a tax expert and am simply trying to help, and he or she continues to parade his or her
mocking skepticism. That's fine with me; you may grovel at the feet of the IRS and it
won't change my life one iota.

But, really: I "survived an encounter with the IRS"?

Survived? Wow. Not scared of them much, are you? :lol2:

By the way, jonp, thanks for the post basically supporting my approach. This is the kind of
feedback that makes this forum worthwhile -- not because you agree, but because it helps
open up discussions and ideas, as well as some people's eyes. Unfortunately some folks
mis-read such input as balderdash, just because it removes them from a certain way of
thinking, or challenges a previous belief. Oh, well, that's why we're in this thread I guess...

And I do also appreciate Dobry4u's energetic debate on this; although I probably won't ever
use her services. No doubt she'd throw me out of her office anyway.

Can the Rev explain the nuances of how the tax-free per diem pay -- IF paid by a trucking
employer to an OTR driver -- affects a tax filer like myself, who normally lacks enough
deductions to itemize? I'd appreciate any insights you have. Thanks in advance.

They're also well versed in tax law, unlike you.

Redundant. Previously acknowledged. But thanks anyway. :roll:

Not redundant at all. She is more knowledgeable about tax law than you, and she says you're wrong. Done. End of story.

Not a problem. The reason that I never itemize is pretty simple. Unless your eating 3 meals a day in a steakhouse and staying at the Ramada overnight you are never going to rack up an amount over your standard deduction. I can't imagine eating up over $50/day. At least I never have and why bother saving all of those receipts? I do save the receipts for items that are job related such as tools I keep in the truck, clothing with the company logo on it, etc.. I never get fancy so fly under the radar. If the IRS wants to waste time on me in an audit I have nothing to fear. The more deductions that you claim, the higher the likelyhood you will meet the IRS up close and in person.

Not all CPA's are versed in the trucking industry and like lawyers can specialize in certain areas. I've had a couple of CPA's that through no fault to themselves just didn't do a good job for me because they were not familiar with what we did on the road or the deductions and per diem differences like the different amounts depending on where you spend the night.

Thats not hard. Go back a couple of years and take what you made, gross, and apply the standard truckers per diem and then compare the tax implications to what your employer is wanting to "give" you and see how it comes out.
I've never found that it makes that much difference in my pay one way or the other because I don't take a great deal of deductions anyways. My taxes are pretty straight- forward.