Tax Deductions for Small Businesses………..I’m gonna start this the same way I start most uncomfortable stories: with coffee, mild panic, and a memory I wish I could erase.
It was late February. Queens was gray. My radiator was doing that thing where it sounds like it’s arguing with itself. I had my laptop open, tax software glaring at me like “we need to talk.”
I remember scrolling through expenses thinking, Wait. That was deductible? That too? Are you kidding me?
Reader. I had been donating money to the IRS like it was a GoFundMe I didn’t sign up for.
Turns out, I was missing a bunch of tax deductions for small businesses. Not because I was hiding income or being shady—but because nobody tells you this stuff unless you already know it. Which is a fun little system we’ve got.
So if you’ve ever filed taxes and thought, That felt… higher than it should’ve, this one’s for you.
No shame. No lectures. Just stories, side comments, and 15 deductions you’re probably skipping right now.
First—tiny disclaimer before we get cozy
I’m not your accountant. I’m just a person with scars from past tax seasons. Rules change, situations vary, blah blah. Always double-check with a pro.
Okay. Done. Back to snacks and stress.
1. The home office deduction (yes, even if it’s sad)
Let’s talk about the “office.”
Mine was a corner of my bedroom. Not Pinterest-worthy. No exposed brick. Just a desk, a lamp, and dreams.
If you regularly and exclusively use part of your home for business, that space might qualify.
And no, “I sometimes answer emails on the couch” doesn’t count (I asked).
This is one of the most missed small business tax deductions because people think it has to be fancy. It doesn’t. It just has to be legit.
2. Internet & phone bills (the boring but powerful one)
You pay for internet. You use it for work. That’s not controversial.
But a portion of that bill? Deductible.
Same with your phone. Even if it’s personal too. You just split it reasonably. Not perfectly. Reasonably.
I ignored this for years because it felt small. It adds up. Like aggressively.
3. Mileage (aka the deduction I forgot existed)
If you drive for business—meetings, supplies, client visits—you can deduct mileage.
I didn’t track this for my first year because:
- I forgot
- I thought I’d remember
- I did not remember
Use an app. Write it down. Do something. This is one of those tax deductions for small businesses that quietly saves a lot.
4. Business meals (yes, even takeout)
This one confused me forever.
No, you can’t deduct every meal because you were thinking about work. But meals with clients? Meetings? Travel? Sometimes partially deductible.
I once skipped this entirely because I didn’t want to mess it up.
Turns out, not claiming something is also messing it up.
5. Software subscriptions you forgot about
Raise your hand if you’re paying for tools you forgot you signed up for.
Now imagine those tools… but deductible.
- Accounting software
- Design tools
- Project management apps
- That random scheduling thing you swear you’ll cancel later
All count as business expense deductions if you use them for work.
6. Education that’s actually useful
Courses. Workshops. Webinars. Books that teach you how to run your business better.
Not “I read a novel and felt inspired.”
But real skill-building stuff.
I once didn’t deduct a course because I thought, That feels too personal.
It wasn’t. It was literally for my business.
7. Bank fees (the ones that quietly drain you)
Monthly service fees. Transaction fees. Payment processor charges.
I ignored these because they felt inevitable. Like taxes themselves.
Still deductible.
Still your money.
8. Professional help (aka the people who save your sanity)
Accountants. Bookkeepers. Legal help. Consultants.
If you paid someone to help your business—not your feelings—that’s a deduction.
I avoided this one early on because it felt like admitting defeat.
Turns out it was admitting adulthood.
9. Marketing expenses you stopped noticing
Website hosting. Domain names. Ads. Business cards you still have a box of.
Marketing costs are some of the most common tax deductions small businesses miss because they feel scattered.
They count. Gather them.
10. Equipment you bought and forgot about
Laptop. Monitor. Printer. Webcam. Chair you had to buy because your back was staging a protest.
Equipment purchases can often be deducted (sometimes all at once, sometimes over time).
I once remembered a monitor purchase mid-filing and said “oh COME ON” out loud.
11. Travel expenses that weren’t vacations (even if they felt like one)
Flights. Hotels. Transportation.
If the main purpose was business, portions of the trip may qualify.
No, your beach margarita doesn’t count. Sorry.
But the Uber to the conference? Yes.
12. Insurance you don’t think about
Business insurance. Professional liability. Sometimes even health insurance for self-employed folks.
This one gets missed because insurance is boring. Still valuable.
13. Retirement contributions (the future-you deduction)
Solo 401(k)s. SEP IRAs. Stuff that sounds grown-up because it is.
These deductions help now and later. Which is rare and beautiful.
I ignored this until someone said, “You’re paying more tax than you need to.”
That got my attention.
14. Bad debt (the deduction that hurts emotionally)
Clients who didn’t pay. Invoices that died quietly.
Sometimes you can deduct money you earned on paper but never actually received.
It doesn’t fix the emotional damage. But it helps.
15. Startup costs you forgot were deductible
Filing fees. Initial setup costs. Early expenses before you “officially” launched.
I thought these were gone forever.
They weren’t.
And yes, I was mad when I learned this late.
Final thought (not a conclusion, don’t panic)
Back in 8th grade, I wore two different shoes to school. Not on purpose. It was a Monday.
I survived.
You’ll survive taxes too. Especially once you stop leaving money on the table.
If you want perspective on how messy thinking can still lead to good outcomes, Wait But Why always makes me feel better. And for founder stories that make you feel less alone, Indie Hackers is still gold.
Next time, we can talk about how to organize all this without losing your mind—or your weekend.
For now? Just know this:
If you’re missing deductions, you’re not bad at business.
You’re just early in the learning curve.
And that curve? It smooths out.
