Can I take business deductions if I am not the owner of the business?

Andrea C: Can I take business deductions if I am not the owner of the business?
I do work for my mom’s business. If I purchase things for the business can I write them off since I am not the owner or is she the only one allowed to do that?
Thanks guys. It isn’t anything too expensive and it is more to help her out.

Answers and Views:

Answer by MadMan
You cannot. And neither can your mother if she did not purchase the items. You should not be purchasing stuff for her business unless you get reimbursed in full.

Answer by RUSerious
She is the only one.

Answer by Mathew
Those would be considered Non-reimbursed Employee Expenses which you could report on Schedule A if you were itemizing your deductions. If you use Standard Deductions there is no place to take these expenses as a business deduction. All of this is assuming that you are a wage earning employee. If you are paid as an independent contractor you could use these expenses on your Schedule C for business income. If you are not paid or paid “under the table” there is no way to deduct these expenses.

Answer by acmeraven
If you itemize you can take employee business expenses; but from what you describe your mother should reimburse you for said expenses and then she would include them in her Sch C filing.

Answer by tro
no

Answer by Judy
Sounds like you’re an employee. You can only deduct unreimbursed business expenses that are over 2% of your income – and even then only if you itemize. So the answer is probably no.

If your mom reimburses you for them, she could take them as an expense.