{"id":7401,"date":"2015-04-15T07:18:39","date_gmt":"2015-04-15T07:18:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/?p=7401"},"modified":"2025-08-25T16:07:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T21:07:05","slug":"weird-tax-deductions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/filing\/adjustments-and-deductions\/weird-tax-deductions\/","title":{"rendered":"Did you know: Wacky tax deductions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are a lot of urban legends about things the weird tax deductions the IRS allows. For instance, you cannot pay an arsonist to burn down your business and deduct the payment to them as a “consulting fee.” (Someone actually tried this.) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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You cannot deduct the cost of an air-conditioned hotel room if you are asthmatic and your home air conditioner breaks down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe most sad: boarding your dog while you’re on a work trip does not qualify as a business expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However\u2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some weird tax deductions allowed. It should be noted that these unusual deductions usually fall into a couple categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A medical expense deduction for an item that isn’t typically thought of as a medical expense (remember, like in the AC example above, just because a doctor recommends something \u2013 or even writes it on a prescription pad \u2013 does not make it deductible); or<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. A business deduction for a personal-use item.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    So, here are some things that actual taxpayers were able to deduct on their tax return:<\/p>\n\n\n\n