Taxpayers can elect to take a simplified deduction for the business use of the taxpayer’s home. The deduction is $5 per square foot, with a maximum square footage of 300. Thus, the maximum deduction is $1,500 per year. Here are the details of this simplified method:

Annual Election – A taxpayer may elect to take the safe-harbor method or the regular method on an annual basis. Thus, a taxpayer may freely switch between the methods each year. The election is made by choosing the method on a timely filed original return and is irrevocable for that year.

Depreciation – When the taxpayer elects the safe-harbor method, no depreciation deduction for the home is allowed, and the depreciation for the year is deemed to be zero.  Read More