Can a Businees Owner Write Off a Firearm to Carry

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1. I was curious as to if there was a way to write off my expenses for firearms and ammunition on my taxes. Any ideas would be useful, and I have anywhere from 2.5 to 6.5 years at minimum to meet any of your requirements you might throw at me. At the end of that time frame, I will be in a gun friendly state. Any ideas would help.

2. You maybe be able to for C&R guns. Those would, technically anyways, be considered collectibles and antiques. But I'm not a tax expert.

3. If you become an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor and/or an instructor for a state/local CCW, armed guard, gun safety or hunter safety program, you may be able to write off your guns/ammo expenditures as job-related. Same also if you can get a part-time job at a gun store or range, maybe also if you volunteer w/Boy Scouts teaching rifle or shotgun Merit Badge programs. To be sure, consult a tax professional(tax attorney, CPA or tax preparer).

4. Before I retired I could take off firearms, ammunition, holsters, targets, range fees for practice etc I purchased to use for the job as a LEO. I went through an audit once and all these expenses were allowed.

5. In most states security officers can deduct, guns, ammo, duty belts ect. Not so sure about range fee's and such but not a bad idea.

6. You maybe be able to for C&R guns. Those would, technically anyways, be considered collectibles and antiques. But I'm not a tax expert.

   If you are talking about using a C&R FFL, then the answer is NO. A C&R FFL is used for the enhancement of one's personal collection, not for business. A C&R collector would be classified as a hobby, which only hobby expenses can only offset hobby income.

7. I was curious as to if there was a way to write off my expenses for firearms and ammunition on my taxes. Any ideas would be useful, and I have anywhere from 2.5 to 6.5 years at minimum to meet any of your requirements you might throw at me. At the end of that time frame, I will be in a gun friendly state. Any ideas would help.

   Unless you are:

   1. Independent contractor that is required to have a firearm related stuff for your job. (Don't know any security guard jobs that are independent contractors, however police officers doing side jobs maybe considered such)
   2. Employee of a company where you are unreimbursed for providing onself the equipment/education of firearms related stuff. (ie. Security guard)
   3. LEO that is unreimbursed for firearms related stuff/education.

   I'm pretty sure you cannot and I would not even try it.

8. I am a police officer. I deduct the cost of my duty weapons, practice ammunition and all the gunschools I attend to include travel and lodging. Professional publications such as SWAT and The Police Marksman are also deductable.

   I think the only way to write off shooting is to get into a profession where guns and ammuntion are the tools of your trade.

   Jeff

9. My primary occupation is the firearms training business I run. I write off my additional training, firearms, ammo and accessories on my taxes. I also write off mileage to and from the classes I teach, range fees, NRA materials, etc. I keep meticulous records and receipts to back it up if it ever comes to an audit.

   This is how I'm making my living though. I wouldn't try to write it off if it was a hobby.

10. You can only consider them as business expenses if you can credibly claim they are somehow related to your employment, it is necessary to your employment, and you don't get otherwise reimbursed for them. And even then I think it can only be part of the misc. deduction, which starts at 2% of AGI. That would be a lot of ammo.

    If you have a hobby like gun collecting, and you make a profit from selling the guns (even after you die) the money spent on collecting them (acquisition, storage, cleaning, insurance, etc.) would be part of the cost basis for the guns, so would reduce the amount of profit you would pay taxes on. I don't see how ammunition for recreational shooting would be part of the cost basis, except possibly a claim that it was function testing. But how many rounds would that take?

11. Would training count toward education credits? It would be nice if it would. That would encourage more of us to seek training.

12. If you need a firearm and require some proficiency in its use as part of your regular business, I suspect you could deduct the cost of training, ammo, etc. I have also been looking into this as I feel I need (not want) a firearm when I provide a portion of my services. Beyond the usual or more obvious employment or business choices like NRA instructor, police officer, security officer, shooting instructor, etc, a outdoor writer comes to mind as a person who might need to purchase firearms in order to conduct his business. He/She could certainly deduct the cost for cameras, photographic accessories (lenses, film, film development, etc.), computers, travel, tackle, probably ammo if testing guns, marketing, seminars and similar things. The important thing is that the business is really a business and not just a hobby. You need to make some money to deduct anything and I suspect if you show a loss year after year, your business is likely to be considered a hobby. With a small business, there are a lot of other things that are easily deductable without treading on the edge with firearms deduction. Remember, you would need to depreciate the value of the firearm (which is debatable), probably book it as a business item, pay local or state taxes on its value yearly, and then when you sell it... if it sells for more than its depreciated value, document the gain or profit for tax purposes. It is a double edge sword and probably more trouble than it is worth.

14. This is technically accurate, yet could be subject to interpretation. I've seen people advertise coyote calling/hunting services. I'm sure they were able to deduct their equipment, etc.

    If you're ever audited, however, I wouldn't expect Uncle Sam to allow you to deduct your $155,000 Colt Walker.........

    http://collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=13171

    ......as an expense for hunting coyotes.

    Get my drift?

15. I am currently employed as a cost accountant, but I do have some public accounting experience. I am not a CPA. The best advice I can give you:
    1) Consult a CPA. If you can't/won't pay for one, DON'T BE GREEDY. Most audits come from people who didn't know when to stop. I'll say it again for dramatic effect: DON'T BE GREEDY.

16. On the line of thinking we're examining, it seems to me (and by no means am I a tax professional) that soldiering could qualify as an occupation that requires proficiency with firearms. Anyone have input on military and firearms/ammo deductions?

17. That would be sweet to buy myself a nice AR-15 and write it off on my taxes...too bad I live in CA and a CA legal AR-15 is like...well I'm not good with metaphors so make up your own.

18. Yes. I am a security officer. I write off range time, ammo, etc.

19. I believe you can write it off as a hobby expense IF you win money (shooting competition for prize purses) I know I can write my musical equipment and expenses off of the band because it offsets the profit from the shows we play.

    Calli

20. psyopspec,
    I never tried it when I was on active duty, but I don't see why a combat arms soldier (I think weapons would have to be the primary tools of his trade) couldn't write off ammunition and range fees for practice. I doubt if you could write off a firearm purchase because the military issues weapons. I'd talk to a tax professional before I tried it though.

    I know you can write off uniforms and equipment once you spend more then your clothing allowance and you can write off cleaning, professional publications such as Army Times and Infantry.

    As for ammunition and range fees, I'd talk to a tax professional.

    Jeff

21. IRS, yes, I'm a classical musician and rely on my hearing, so I'd like $200 in taxes back off of this silencer I just purchased.

22. If you farm

    Some people clim varmit control. Alot of people write off safes however.

23. It needs to be related to a business/occupation or an activity entered into to make money.

    Be careful. I know a police officer who does the "I'm a cop, guns are part of my job" and then writes off everything gun related. All of his competition guns, ammo, equipment, etc. I think he may have some trouble in an audit. To the IRS, "Ordinary and Necessary" and "Reasonable" are very important concepts.

    Scott

24. yep

    Form 2A part M
    Sec CCW
    Line NFA34

    Militia Expenses: Ammo, Firearms and Accs
    Total amount paid -50% Enter on line 12
    Divide line 12 by 0 Enter total on line 13
    line 13 is your total deduction.

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Can a Businees Owner Write Off a Firearm to Carry

Source: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/can-you-get-a-tax-write-off-for-weapons-and-ammunition.252121/

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