In regard to a previous post, Home Office Deductions – Capturing Expenses, Pam had the following question:
But what about if you have paid off your mortgage, what you can deduct for the office room then? (I am only meaning mortgage/rent, not the rest)  Can you use a typical rent in your location? It seems like if you can’t do that, you will have to take out a mortgage just to get that extra deduction?
We had a couple of answers to her questions from professionals:
Sheryl Schuff, CPA had this to say:
Sorry, but you can’t deduct rent unless you actually paid it.
There’s a …read more

We have a guest post today from Jean Murray, a former blogger at Home Biz Notes and currently the Small Business blogger at Bizzia.  Jean also has a home business and shares an office with her husband. 
Working with Your Spouse
How would you like to work with your spouse, in the same room?  Every day?  Could you do it? Could you do it at home?
 My husband retired from his job of 27 years last June and he immediately started to work for a small company where he is now able to work much of the time from home.  I semi-retired …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
Throughout the b5media Business Channel this month, we’re guest posting at one another’s blogs.  Jean Murray, co-blogger at Small Business Boomers has written a post about taxes.  For those of you who are taking a last minute approach to your taxes (in the US, they’re due Apr. 15), Jean reminds you about the home office business deduction.
Are You Taking Your Home Office Business Deduction? 
(Guest post by Jean Murray)
The SBA has a good idea.  Many home business owners don’t take their home office business deduction. I don’t, and I’ll tell you why. The IRS says that you can deduct “the business use of …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
Web Worker Daily highlights the fact that many people may be able to claim a home office as a tax deduction, but don’t take advantage of it.
What might be the ultimate barrier for many home-based web workers, however, is the law’s requirement that, in order to deduct expenses for your home office, you use that part of the home exclusively as your principal place of business. Very few people use their home office only for work, even if it is their main place of business.
Even if you have a separate home office, you may also want to use this space …read more

HomeBizNotes.com
Where you meet will be dictated largely by practicalities of geography and time. If the client is meeting you in their lunch break, it makes sense to meet close to where they work. For a number of reasons, you may also prefer to meet outside your home office.

Coffee Shop
Library
Hotel foyer if client is staying at a hotel
Meeting room
Business center
Serviced offices
At a conference you are both attending

What spaces have you conducted meetings in outside your home office? Any other suggestions?

HomeBizNotes.com
When I say home office, I use the term loosely to refer to your home business space.
Not everyone who runs a home based business has the luxury of a separate space as a home office Even if you do, there are still reasons you may choose to meet clients outside your home office.

Family decision not to have clients in your home
Don’t want clients to know where you live
You have out of town visitors staying over
Home is too noisy, messy etc.
Neighbors are noisy or worse still, yell at each other.
You don’t have a suitable, private space …read more