��������

KCCI 8 NEWS AT 6:00. STEVE: YOU MAY STILL BE WORKING FROM HOME TO THE PANDEMIC SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING IF YOU QUALIFY FOR A HOME OFFICE TAX DEDUCTION. NEW TONIGHT, KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN IS HERE WITH WHO’S ELIGIBLE. >> LAST YEAR, THOUSANDS OF IOWANS WORKED FROM HOME AND IN 2021, THEY ARE ALL SITTING DOWN TO GET A HEAD START ON THEIR TAXES. >> IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYEE, YOU ARE KIND OF OUT OF LUCK. >> AS EMPLOYEES AROUND THE COUNTRY BEGAN TO WORK FROM HOME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, MANY NOW WONDER IF THEY WILL QUALIFY FOR THE HOME OFFICE TAX DEDUCTION WHEN THEY GO TO FILE THEIR 2020 TAXES. THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. STEPHEN GARA, THE DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTING AT DRAKE UNIVERSITY, TELLS KCCI THOSE WHO QUALIFY NEED TO MEET TWO REQUIREMENTS. THE FIRST IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE SELF-EMPLOYED. >> IF YOU ARE WORKING AS AN EMPLOYEE FOR SOMEONE ELSE AND YOU ARE WORKING FROM HOME, YOU WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE. >> THE OTHER REQUIREMENT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE ROOM OR SPECIFIC AREA THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY USED FOR BUSINESS, WHICH CAN BE HARD TO PROVE. >> YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR KIDS TOYS THERE. YOU ARE NOT SITTING AT THE DESK WATCHING TELEVISION. IT IS ALL BUSINESS AND NOTHING BUT BUSINESS. >> IF YOU DO QUALIFY, YOU CAN MEASURE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF YOUR HOME OFFICE AND RECEIVE $5 PER SQUARE FOOT AS PART OF THE HOME OFFICE TAX DEDUCTION. THE TAX DEADLINE IS STILL APRIL 15, UNLIKE LAST YEAR WHEN IT WAS EXTENDED TO JULY 15.