If you use part of your home for business, you may be able to deduct expenses for the business use of your home. These expenses may include mortgage interest, insurance, utilities, repairs, and depreciation. The home office deduction is available for homeowners and renters, and applies to all types of homes, from apartments to mobile homes.

There are two basic requirements for your home to qualify as a deduction. The first requirement is regular and exclusive use which means you must regularly use part of your home exclusively for conducting business. For example, if you use an extra bedroom to run your online business, you can take a home office deduction for the extra bedroom. Secondly, it must be your principal place of your business. If you conduct business at a location outside of your home, but also use your home substantially and regularly to conduct business, you may qualify for a home office deduction. For example, if you have in-person meetings with patients, clients, or customers in your home in the normal course of your business, even though you also carry on business at another location, you can deduct your expenses for the part of your home used exclusively and regularly for business. You can deduct expenses for a separate free-standing structure, such as a studio, garage, or barn, if you use it exclusively and regularly for your business. The structure does not have to be your principal place of business or the only place where you meet patients, clients, or customers.

Generally, deductions for a home office are based on the percentage of your home devoted to business use. So, if you use a whole room or part of a room for conducting your business, you need to figure out the percentage of your home devoted to your business activities.

There are additional requirements for employee use. If you are an employee and you use a part of your home for business, you may qualify for a deduction for its business use. You must meet the tests discussed above plus your business use must be for the convenience of your employer, and you must not rent any part of your home to your employer and use the rented portion to perform services as an employee for that employer.

If the use of the home office is merely appropriate and helpful, you cannot deduct expenses for the business use of your home. Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home, provides a full explanation of tax deductions for your home office. This publication also includes the requirements for qualifying to deduct expenses for the business use of your home (including special rules for storing inventory or product samples) as well as the types of expenses you can deduct. Publication 587 also provides guidance on how to figure the home office deduction (including depreciation of your home), special rules for daycare providers, information on selling a home that was used partly for business, information on deducting expenses for furniture and equipment used in your business.

Please consult with your tax attorney or accountant with regards to IRS rules and regulations and your particular tax or IRS situation.