# US TAX: Can I deduct my cable modem fees for the months I used it for job searching?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 26, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364 "2005-03-26T16:18:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364/1 "2005-03-26T16:18:14Z")

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US Federal Tax: Can I deduct my cable modem fees for the months I used it for job searching?

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**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364/2 "2005-03-26T16:39:44Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> US Federal Tax: Can I deduct my cable modem fees for the months I used it for job searching?

I am not a tax expert, but I do pay one for his services each year. He tells me that in order to be deducted as a business expense, an item or service must be used only for that purpose. So in otehr words, if you used your cable modem only for job searching, then yes, but if you used it for other purposes, no.

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364/3 "2005-03-26T17:49:38Z")

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Do’h. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-tax-can-i-deduct-my-cable-modem-fees-for-the-months-i-used-it-for-job-searching/296364/4 "2005-03-26T19:36:44Z")

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> [@anson2995](#):
>
> I am not a tax expert, but I do pay one for his services each year. He tells me that in order to be deducted as a business expense, an item or service must be used only for that purpose. So in otehr words, if you used your cable modem only for job searching, then yes, but if you used it for other purposes, no.

I’ve only got a textbook, but it might be helpful. Here’s the highlights of the text:

“The expenses incurred in seeking employement can be deductible under certain circumstances. The search must involve the same business or trade as the taxpayers current position.” So there it is if you were employed. I’m not sure what they mean by “An unemployed person, however, can qualify for the deduction if there has not been a significant time lapse since the last job.” More importantly, it appears that you don’t have to actually take a job or even find a job that would take you. Qualifiying costs include “job counseling, compilation and distribution of biographical data, and unreimbursed travel for interviews.”

I’d talk to a tax expert–and not someone from H&R Block or the like. It seems to me that it might be deductible, but it’d be an itemized deduction, so unless you are already itemizing or it would push you over the standard deduction, it wouldn’t be worth it.