This minor challenge to ourselves spurred a greater interest in bicycle commuting, especially in New Jersey where I live. I found that bicycle commuting is indeed tax deductible.
Here are some interesting statistics I unearthed:
“40% of all automobile trips in the nation are within two miles of home.”
“20% of Americans used a bicycle for transportation in the last 30 days.”
“50% of the working population commutes five miles or less to work.”
Excellent. Now for the tax deduction.
The deduction itself is $.10 per mile travelled. Ten cents on the mile. Not entirely significant, but a nod to the biker. However, the taxpayer “shall maintain suitable records of the dates of commuting and the miles traveled and furnish those records to the taxpayer’s employer…” as well as a copy of these records to the Division of Taxation “in a manner and in such form as the Director of the Division of Taxation may prescribe.” We will wait and see how that turns out.
Time to do so more research and turn this paltry incentive into a reality.
See here for the official document.
If you remove one of the wheels to your bicycle, it’ll become a unicycle. If you then remove the remaining wheel, you’ll not be able to ride it. Don’t do that.