Can you claim money spent on parking meters on your taxes?

Question

If you work downtown and use the parking meters instead of the ramps, can you claim that on your taxes or do you actually have to use the parking ramps? Does anyone know the answer to this? And should your employers remiburst you or at least help you with a fraction of the cost?

Answer 1

You can try to deduct it as an unreimbursed work expense, but you will have no receipts to back it up if you get audited. Many employers in downtown areas without free parking do pay for parking for mid to upper level employees (the ones who can most afford to pay for their own parking, of course) as a benefit of the job. Others pay an incentive to use public transportation or carpooling rides. It is up to the employer, and I don't think they should be required to do it. The employee should have been aware of the area and the parking situation and taken that into account when negotiating their pay before starting the job.

Answer 2

Money spent on parking meters OR on parking garages, basically any parking expense, are NOT deductible if you are just going to your regular job there - it's a personal expense. Your employer has no obligation to reimburse you for this - you wouldn't expect them to pay part of your car payment for the car you drive to work, would you? It's pretty much the same principle.

If as part of your job you have to go out to other sites during your work day, then if your employer doesn't reimburse you for expenses, you can probably deduct the mileage and other expenses like parking, if you itemize. Many but not all employers would reimburse you under those circumstances, but they aren't required to.

Answer 3

You can only claim such expense if it was incurred in the process of BUSINESS travel. If you are merely commuting to the downtown area to your place of employment, neither your mileage costs nor parking expenses are deductible.