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Completing the Car and Truck Expenses Worksheet in ProSeries

by Intuit1 Updated 2 months ago

When you're entering vehicle expenses for an individual return, you can use the Car and Truck Expense Worksheet in ProSeries. This worksheet is helpful if you're claiming actual expenses or the standard mileage rate. After you enter the vehicle information, ProSerieswill compare the two options and give you the larger deduction for your tax return.

Business entities don't have a separate worksheet and would use the asset entry worksheet to calculate depreciation on vehicles.

For more Schedule C resources, check out our Tax topics page for Schedule C where you'll find answers to the most commonly asked questions.

There are two ways of creating a car and truck worksheet.

Method 1: Start from the activity that the vehicle should be linked to:

  1. Open the worksheet for the business activity:
    • Form 4835
    • K-1 Partnership
    • Schedule C
    • Schedule E Worksheet
    • Schedule F
  2. In the section for expenses, there will be a QuickZoom to enter auto information. Click on the QuickZoom.
  3. In the Create new copy field, enter the make and model of the first vehicle.
  4. Select Finish.

Method 2: Start from the car and truck worksheet and link to the activity:

  1. Press F6 to open the list of all forms.
  2. Type CAR to highlight the Car-Truck Wks and press Enter.
  3. In the Create new copy field, enter the make and model of the first vehicle.
  4. Select Next.
  5. From the list select the type of business activity and select Next.
    • Form 4835
    • K-1 Partnership
    • Schedule C
    • Schedule E Worksheet
    • Schedule F
  6. Select the business name of the activity you wish link the car and truck worksheet to.
  7. Select Finish.

Completing the Vehicle Information section.

Each vehicle must have the Vehicle Information filled out, regardless of the deduction method.

  • Line 3: Date placed in service: enter the date the vehicle was placed in service using a mm/dd/yy format. If the vehicle is being depreciated, this date is used to help decide the depreciation type.
  • Line 4: Type of vehicle: enter a type of vehicle. If the vehicle was placed in service after 1980, the program completes the rest of the depreciation information. You must manually complete the depreciation information for any vehicles placed in service before 1980.
  • Lines 5 through 8: Beginning and ending mileage on lines 5a and 5b aren't mandatory, but if you enter that information, the total miles on line 5c automatically calculate and carryforward the ending mileage to next year's return. If you make an entry on line 9, then lines 5, 6 and 7 should only include those miles driven during the period of business use.
    • For a vehicle acquired in a trade-in that is required to be reported using multiple bases, enter the total mileage on each portion of the vehicle. Since the vehicle isn't eligible for the standard mileage deduction, there's no need to prorate the mileage between the separate portions of the basis.
  • Line 9: Percentage of business use: if the percentage of business use has changed from last year, the depreciation calculations handle the change automatically. There's no need to change your entries for cost or prior depreciation unless business use drops from above 50% to 50% or less. But, you must check No on line 66 (Use IRS tables for MACRS property?) because you can't use the tables to compute depreciation when the percentage of business use changes.
    • When business use drops to 50% or less, depreciation and section 179 expense may be subject to recapture. You must manually complete Form 4797, Part IV to compute the recapture.

Completing the Standard Mileage Rate section

  • Lines 15 through 17: Standard mileage deduction: if the taxpayer qualifies the program, computes the standard mileage rate by multiplying the business miles on line 6 by the Standard Mileage Rate for the year. See Standard Mileage Rates for year-specific rates.

Completing the Actual Expenses section

When entering actual expenses for a vehicle acquired in a trade-in that is required to be reported using multiple bases, only enter the expenses once. Don't repeat the expenses for each portion of the basis.

  • Line 20: Expense applicable to business: this is calculated by multiplying the vehicle expenses by the business use percentage.

Completing the Standard Mileage vs Actual Expenses section

  • Lines 23 and 24: Standard Mileage vs. Actual Expenses: ProSeries will optimize the larger deduction but you can force a method by checking box 23 or 24.

Completing the Total Car and Truck Expenses section

This section should be completed for all vehicles. Entries in this section will be used to calculate the actual expenses for the vehicle.

Completing the Vehicle Depreciation Information section

If you are claiming the standard mileage rate this section can be left blank.

  • Lines 31: Cost or basis: enter the appropriate cost or basis on line 30. Do not reduce this by percentage of business use.
  •  Line 32: Section 179 expense elected: Enter the section 179 expense deduction for vehicles placed in service both this year and in prior years., even if the vehicle was fully expensed.
  • Line 35: Prior Depreciation: enter the greater of the allowed or allowable depreciation deductions taken in prior years. Don't include any section 179 or special depreciation allowance deductions.
    • If you leave this blank, the program uses the allowable prior depreciation as shown on the Asset Life History, to compute the current year depreciation.
  • Line 36: Depreciation deduction: once you make all the required entries, the program computes the current year's depreciation deduction for this vehicle. The program automatically applies the auto limitation and posts only the allowable deduction. See Pub 463 for depreciation limits for more information.
  • Line 37: AMT prior depreciation: if there's no entry in this field, enter the greater of the allowed or allowable AMT depreciation deductions taken in prior years. Don't include any section 179 or Special Depreciation Allowance deductions.
    • If you leave this field blank, the program uses the allowable AMT prior depreciation, as shown on the Asset Life History, to compute the current year AMT depreciation deduction.

Schedule C, Part II - Expenses, Line 9 - "Car and truck expenses" is including the Property taxes entered on Line 26b of the Car and Truck Worksheet, and the client is claiming the standard mileage rate.

Per IRS Pub. 463:

"Personal property taxes. If you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040), you can deduct on line 5c state and local personal property taxes on motor vehicles. You can take this deduction even if you use the standard mileage rate or if you do not use the car for business.

If you are self-employed and use your car in business, you can deduct the business part of state and local personal property taxes on motor vehicles on Schedule C (Form 1040), or Schedule F (Form 1040). If you itemize your deductions, you can include the remainder of your state and local personal property taxes on the car on Schedule A (Form 1040)."

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