How To Pay a LOT Less Tax Using The IRS Travel Deduction

For many years, the IRS has allowed you to deduct many of your expenses related to business travel. If you drive an automobile in your business or work, you likely can deduct not only the cost of your gasoline, but can also deduct meals, hotels, tolls, and more.

If you do a lot of travel for work, this deduction could be quite large. But there's a catch. The IRS doesn't want people making up trips and fudging figures. To make sure everybody pays their fair share, the IRS requires you to keep detailed records of your mileage. And you can't go back later and estimate your mileage. The IRS requires you to document in some detail your mileage at the time of the trip.

Now if you've already had some experience with the travel deduction, you know just how frustrating keeping up with your mileage and expenses can be. The average person often ends up at tax time with a shoe box stuffed with slips of paper, each with a mileage number scribbled on it.

Office supply stores sell a cheap little mileage journal you can use. That looks like a good solution at first, but the dairy doesn't gather enough information in the right way and -- should you get audited -- won't convince the IRS you actually took those trips.

Today we have a much better way to track your mileage and travel expenses. Software can do an extraordinary job of helping you keep track of trips. An application running on your PocketPC (PDA) can make it super simple and convenient to log your travel data on the spot.

The software lets you use drop down menus and commonly needed fields to quickly and intuitively enter your information. Then, when you get back to the office, you can download the data onto you desktop PC. There the desktop part of the software instantly runs the numbers and prints off all the detailed documentation needed to satisfy the IRS.

If this sounds easier than the old manual tracking methods, you're right. Tests show people not only keep good documentation on EVERY trip, they end up deducting MUCH more money at tax time.

That means the tax you pay could be a LOT lower. It could also mean your tax REFUND could be much bigger. Either way, using a PocketPC with the right software could save you big money while dramatically reducing the hassle and headaches often associated with the travel deduction.

Jim Gentilin is founder of http://www.PocketTaxDeductions.com Download the software now and immediately keep track of your mileage and travel expenses. It's easy, effective, and will more than pay for itself at tax time. Reach Jim at info@pockettaxdeductions.com.