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Is building an RV a tax write-off?

AAflyer

AAflyer

Well Known Member
14 CFR 21.191
21.191 Experimental certificates.
Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes:

(g) Operating amateur-built aircraft. Operating an aircraft the major portion of which has been fabricated and assembled by persons who undertook the construction project solely for their own education or recreation.

Has any successfully deducted their build an "educational expense."?

Just wondering...:confused:
 
Deduct what you want, just be prepared to defend it in an audit and possibly pay the money back. I'm all for keeping as much of your money as you can!

FWIW dog food is not deductible under the guise of home security/improvement. ;)
 
Sig600 said:
Deduct what you want, just be prepared to defend it in an audit and possibly pay the money back. I'm all for keeping as much of your money as you can!

FWIW dog food is not deductible under the guise of home security/improvement. ;)
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Thanks Pat…but...
I was hoping to coax a response from someone with "CPA" in their signature block.
 
FORMAL education

AAflyer said:
Has any successfully deducted their build an "educational expense."?
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Not a CPA here nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I would ask "why do you think it should be claimable as an "educational expense"? While it is an educational experience, so is being throne in jail for any number of reasons. The bail, legal fees etc for that "educational" experience I'm pretty sure, are not deductible. Nor should they be.

I, for one, am thankful to just live in a time and space where I am able to pursue this hobby. :)

Bevan
 
I have an Aeronautical Engineering degree with a specialty in aircraft design and flight test. I am a professional aviation writer. I am Editor in Chief of the authoritative magazine on homebuilt aircraft - yet my accountant still doesn't support writing off the expenses of building an aircraft....at least not under his signature!
 
There are a lot of businesses that purchase experimental aircraft and write them off, whether they buy them outright or over time during a build. Doing it as an individual would be a tough sell to the IRS, I think. Selling it as an educational expense would not fly. Time is never deductible anyway.

It would require a legitimate business use, which would include business travel, not flying for hire.

Accountant, yes. CPA, no.
 
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Unfortunately, I'm with Paul on this one.

Even with all the development flights I've taken for the EICommander and income from the few articles I write for the "authoritative magazine on homebuilt aircraft", my accountant said I can claim the expenses iF I want to invite an audit.
 
N941WR said:
Even with all the development flights I've taken for the EICommander and income from the few articles I write for the "authoritative magazine on homebuilt aircraft", my accountant said I can claim the expenses iF I want to invite an audit.
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Even the per-flight expense for flights specifically done to test, debug and develop your product? It seems like that would be a pretty clear-cut business expense deduction. Not the cost of the plane, but the cost of those flights - gas and oil, if not something extra for engine reserve.
 
DaleB said:
Even the per-flight expense for flights specifically done to test, debug and develop your product? It seems like that would be a pretty clear-cut business expense deduction. Not the cost of the plane, but the cost of those flights - gas and oil, if not something extra for engine reserve.
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Yes - those are easy. Of course, you have to stay clear of any "Commercial use" of a homebuilt (I'll let others argue the details of that), but the OP was askign about writing off the expenses of building the kit.
 
OK, just wanted to clarify. I couldn't see any reason one couldn't write off some operating expenses, but writing off the airplane itself would be something more of a challenge. I'm sure there are ways to do it, but I'm equally sure the originally mentioned educational expense would not be one of those ways. :)
 
Sig600 said:
FWIW dog food is not deductible under the guise of home security/improvement. ;)
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Would food be deductible if the dog is a qualified crew member, during phase one flight, in a aircraft built for physical therapy, covered under Abamacare, because she is a certified seeing eye dog for builder/pilot?

2pu02vl.jpg
 
BruceEicher said:
Would food be deductible if the dog is a qualified crew member, during phase one flight, in a aircraft built for physical therapy, covered under Abamacare, because she is a certified seeing eye dog for builder/pilot?
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Only if she is an "undocumented worker" from another country!
 
What if your employer listed building an aircraft as a requirement/advantage for employment. Could you write off building expenses as a job related expense?
 
See http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources...siness-Justification-Flight-Training-Expenses (although geared to flight instruction, the general issue of deducting education expenses is the same) - scroll down and click on the flowchart. It does a good job of summarizing the issue.

The OP asked

...Has any successfully deducted their build an "educational expense."?
...
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To which the individual circumstances pasted into the flowchart ought to provide the correct answer.

BTW - that's a very talented dog! Does she have the aerobatics card yet?

Dan
 
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