Travel to Care

[Childminder]

Tom,

First let me say thank you in advance for all of the help you provide for me and all the other lost daycare providers out there. I tout your praises everywhere! lovethis

My question concerns a trip we took across State to provide care to the child (and families' friends) of a couple getting married. We watched the kids for a couple hours during rehearsal dinner and after the reception when the children got tired. We did not charge for this, it was a gift.

We paid for our hotel, travel and meals, except for the wedding dinner and we even gained a new client by talking with her and passing out our business cards at the reception to a few people.

My question is: Is this trip, the travel and hotel, deductible and if so what category?

[TomCopeland]

Travel expenses

Tom,

First let me say thank you in advance for all of the help you provide for me and all the other lost daycare providers out there. I tout your praises everywhere! lovethis

My question concerns a trip we took across State to provide care to the child (and families' friends) of a couple getting married. We watched the kids for a couple hours during rehearsal dinner and after the reception when the children got tired. We did not charge for this, it was a gift.

We paid for our hotel, travel and meals, except for the wedding dinner and we even gained a new client by talking with her and passing out our business cards at the reception to a few people.

My question is: Is this trip, the travel and hotel, deductible and if so what category?

To be able to claim the travel expenses you would have to assert that the "primary" purpose of the trip was business. Was more than 50% of the reason to go on this trip to provide child care, or to attend the wedding? It sounds like it was to attend the wedding. If so, you can't claim the travel expenses or the hotel expense. Even though you got a new client, this doesn't change the fact the the primary purpose appears to be personal, especially since you didn't charge for the child care services. Sorry.