Make a dress suit tax deductible?

I know a suit (a normal black dress suit) is not tax deductible in general due to the fact that it can be worn for business or non-business occasions. However, I was thinking about it, and I was wondering if the business actually purchases the suit, owns it, issues it out for business meetings and takes it back after the meeting, dry cleans it, etc..., shouldn't it be a tax deduction for the business.

Here is my situation. I am the sole member of an llc taxed as an s-corp. Can I do this make set it up as a business expense and therefore a tax deduction?

thanks

No. At the very least, be very prepared to spend a lot of money on legal bills to defend yourself in an audit, then be prepared to pay taxes and heavy penalties and interest once you lose your case (and you WILL lose your case).

jetsfan92588 said: I know a suit (a normal black dress suit) is not tax deductible in general due to the fact that it can be worn for business or non-business occasions. However, I was thinking about it, and I was wondering if the business actually purchases the suit, owns it, issues it out for business meetings and takes it back after the meeting, dry cleans it, etc..., shouldn't it be a tax deduction for the business.

Here is my situation. I am the sole member of an llc taxed as an s-corp. Can I do this make set it up as a business expense and therefore a tax deduction?

thanksSure. Get a big, annoying, and permanant logo fixed conspicuously on your suit. Superman ran it through as a business expense. Why not you?

Nope

The only time it's deductible is if you are required to purchase a uniform specifically for work (i.e police officer, mailman, etc)

jetsfan92588 said: wow-i didn't think it would be that resounding of a no. lol

just curiously, what if I was just an employee of a large c-corp (like fortune 500) where i had no ownership whatsoever and they did this with suits for employees. Would it then be tax deductible to them? thanksYes, it would likely be tax deductible to the corporation but it would be a fringe benefit to the employee (and thus taxable to the employee). You aren't going to get a benefit from deducting it on the corporate tax return and including it on your W-2.

I for one think this law is bullshit. I never wear a suit anywhere but work. I could wear it to a $500/night restaurant but I don't go to those.

I could also wear scrubs to McDonalds but scrubs are deductable.

jetsfan92588 said: tripleB said: I for one think this law is bullshit. I never wear a suit anywhere but work. I could wear it to a $500/night restaurant but I don't go to those.

I could also wear scrubs to McDonalds but scrubs are deductable.

it seems like a significant amount of tax law makes absolutely no sense.

It's almost as though they are saying, if you need to wear a suit to work, you must be wealthy so don't need a tax write off because any job that requires a suit daily must be high paying. And if you are poor then you need the deductions more so if you're a medical assistant wearing scrubs you get the writeoff.

The irony is that the lower income people who are eligible for writeoffs on their scrubs and janitor's pants do not itemize and the "rich" people who have to wear a suit to work actually do itemize.

If suits were deductible, Congress would probably cap the deductible amount at the price of a JC Penneys suit special ($119).

Xnarg said: If suits were deductible, Congress would probably cap the deductible amount at the price of a JC Penneys suit special ($119).

If it's a good enough suit to wear on the floor of the senate, it's a good enough suit for me.

LH2004 said: Jobowoo said: Google offers free meals to employees and many tech companies offer free drinks (soda, coffee and juice) to their employees. What tax implications are there in those cases?Free coffee, soda, snacks, etc. will be tax free. Occasional meals to make it easier for employees to work overtime can be tax-free. Any kind of meal on a regular basis is going to be taxable.

Google offers free lunch/dinner to its employees every weekday.

Yep. If you place your logo on the shirt and jacket you can deduct it. Not sure about the pants. Maybe want to check with the KGB.

(Lesko LOL!)

Lesko's got a chance if he's audited, but he may also have to fight for his right to deduct that god-awful thing. The general rule is that anything that is considered "wearable" outside of employment is a taxable benefit. It would likely boil down to the opinion of the auditor assigned to his case.

When I was with local government we got dinged with one of these IRS audits. End result was that some of the money that we were paying our police force for uniform expenses was considered taxable compensation to the police officer. Most of the uniform was ok -- but they would not allow the belts, socks and shoes.

jetsfan92588 said: I know a suit (a normal black dress suit)

I stopped right there. Why would you buy a black suit? Are you a waiter or something?

To all the young inspiring businessmen of FWF - don't buy a black suit for work unless you are in Hollywood or are a servant. Go charcoal grey or navy blue.

comptalk said: Yep. If you place your logo on the shirt and jacket you can deduct it. Not sure about the pants. Maybe want to check with the KGB.

Have you seen the pants you must wear at Hot Dog on a Stick?

jobowoo said:
Actually this brings up an interesting point. Google offers free meals to employees and many tech companies offer free drinks (soda, coffee and juice) to their employees. What tax implications are there in those cases?

Uh, oh. Many many years ago I worked at Taco Bell and employees got to eat free there, and this wasn't even a tech company. I never claimed those meals as income. But I think I'm safe. Even the IRS can see that whatever they serve at Taco Bell can't be considered a meal.

shadow520 said:

That's not entirely true. Employer provided meals can be tax free depending on the situation. Casino employees, for example, get tax free employer provided meals because they are not allowed to leave the premises during their breaks. The same could be true for workers like firefighters. The key is that they are provided for the employer's convenience, not the employee. Google, well, I don't know about that one.

does google let you leave when you're on break? they have a lot of ip that they are trying to protect i assume so it may be considered for the convenience of the employer. my friend worked for a video game testing company and was required to check his cell phone with security before beginning work and pick it up at the end of the day.

wilesmt said: jetsfan92588 said: I know a suit (a normal black dress suit)


I stopped right there. Why would you buy a black suit? Are you a waiter or something?

To all the young inspiring businessmen of FWF - don't buy a black suit for work unless you are in Hollywood or are a servant. Go charcoal grey or navy blue.the charcoal suits don't go over too well in Federal court.