I Have Done A Terrible Job This Year. Recommendations?

[NightOwl]

I didn't separate my purchases on any of my receipts. Should I go back and painstakingly add each item, separating them into the proper categories? Food, cleaning supplies, household items, toys, etc, etc. Or is there a standard deduction I can take where I wouldn't need to pour through this mountain of receipts? I have no desire to do my taxes, if you can't tell.

[TomCopeland]

record keeping

I didn't separate my purchases on any of my receipts. Should I go back and painstakingly add each item, separating them into the proper categories? Food, cleaning supplies, household items, toys, etc, etc. Or is there a standard deduction I can take where I wouldn't need to pour through this mountain of receipts? I have no desire to do my taxes, if you can't tell.

No, don't separate receipts into more than one expense category. Just pick one expense category for each receipt - it doesn't matter what category you choose because all expense categories get added together on your tax form. Don't add up food receipts - instead use the standard meal allowance rate: $1.28 breakfast, $2.40 lunch/supper and $.71 snack.

[Unregistered]

Follow up question

If you do this what do you do with the things that do not count, like my husbands purchase of Pepsi every time we go to a store?

[Thriftylady]

If you do this what do you do with the things that do not count, like my husbands purchase of Pepsi every time we go to a store?

That is why you could use the standard deduction. It is a set amount (Tom posted above), for each meal for each child. I do this so I can buy all food on one receipt when I shop. Makes my life easier.

[TomCopeland]

expenses

If you do this what do you do with the things that do not count, like my husbands purchase of Pepsi every time we go to a store?

You can't deduct any food or drinks that you or your husband eat or drink. For non-food expenses, note on the receipt whether it's used 100% for your business (if so, mark it with a B) or it's used by your family and your business (if so, mark it with an S). Call everything on the receipt on category of an expense (supplies, toys, activity expenses, etc.). It doesn't matter what expense category you use because everything gets added together on the tax form.