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Moving expenses are no longer tax deductible for many Americans.
- Moving expenses are no longer tax deductible for federal tax purposes for most Americans.
- In order to deduct any moving expenses on your federal tax return, you must be an active member of the United States armed forces (or a dependent or spouse) and the expenses must be related to a permanent change of station.
- Some states still allow moving expense deductions on state tax returns.
- This post has been reviewed for accuracy by Thomas C. Corley, CPA.
- Read more personal finance coverage.
Most Americans can no longer deduct moving expenses on their federal tax return.
Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), qualified moving expenses were considered an above-the-line deduction to reduce your taxable income, meaning you didn't have to itemize the deductions on your federal tax return; you could recoup the costs of relocating for work or to look for a new job and still take the standard deduction.
Beginning with the 2018 tax year, the moving expense deduction has been suspended until the 2025 tax year, unless you're an active duty military member or their spouse or dependent. However, a handful of states, including California and New York, still allow moving expense deductions on state tax returns.
Also, for nonmilitary taxpayers, moving expenses for which you were reimbursed by your employer are now included in your gross income, unless the reimbursement was provided by the government for a permanent relocation. Reimbursements used to be excluded from gross income prior to the TCJA.
Moving expenses may be tax deductible for active duty military
In order to deduct expenses related to a move of residence on your 2019 tax return, you must meet two requirements:
1. You are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty
2. You relocate due to a permanent change of station
The IRS defines "permanent change of station" as a move from your home to your first post of active duty; a move from one permanent post of duty to another; or a move from the last post of duty to home or a closer location in the US, which typically must occur within one year of ending active duty.
A spouse or dependent of an imprisoned, deceased, or deserted military member may also qualify to deduct moving expenses.
If you're moving to a location within in the US, qualifying expenses include costs of moving household goods and personal property, as well as gas, tolls, and parking if traveling by personal car. The cost of lodging during travel to the new home is also included, but meals and food are not.
You can also deduct the cost of shipping your car, disconnecting utilities, and storing your belongings for up to 30 days before they are delivered to your new home in the US.
For active duty military members who are moving to a permanent station outside the US, all the aforementioned expenses are deductible, plus the cost of storage for household goods and personal property for the entire time you're at your new location.
To compute a moving expense deduction, use Form 3903 and follow the instructions to record it on Form 1040. If you file your taxes online through a service like H&R Block or TurboTax, you should be able to record your expenses easily.
- More tax day coverage:
- When are taxes due?
- How to file taxes for 2019
- What is a tax credit?
- H&R Block vs. TurboTax
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