Are Nursing Uniforms Tax-Deductible Only For Independent Contractors? What You Need To Know Before You File Your Taxes
You’ve been freezing under the frigid air conditioning at work for weeks.
You resignedly consider (again) whether it’s time to bite the bullet and buy warmer scrubs.
Then the inspiration suddenly comes to you, are nursing uniforms tax-deductible?
Luckily, the answer is yes, independent contract nurses can write off their scrubs. In this article, we’re explaining who qualifies for this deduction, what you need to do to receive it, and the best solution to getting the most money back on your taxes.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional tax advice. Always consult your own CPA or tax preparer for tax advice.
Table of Contents
Other Scrubs
Our Scrubs
Thin fabric
Boxy and unflattering
Needs layers over and under
Can’t wait to change clothes
100% lined
Feminine tailored shape
No need to layer
Don’t want to take them off
Can Nurses Write Off Uniforms on Their Taxes?
Independent nurse contractors can write off nursing scrubs on their federal taxes. However, nurses who are employees can not write off scrubs or work expenses as per the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA).
If you’ve been a nurse since before 2017, then you may remember the good old days when everyone could itemize unreimbursed work expenses, like your nursing scrubs. As long as the employer didn’t reimburse you and you couldn’t wear them for everyday life they were itemized on Schedule A tax form.
The TCJA increased the standard deduction for everyone. To pay for it, work expenses were removed from the list of qualified deductibles for employees.
For employee nurses, scrubs are no longer tax-deductible as part of federal taxes.
What about state taxes? Are nursing uniforms tax-deductible on state taxes?
Some states have kept unreimbursed work expenses as deductible items for state income tax, however. To find out more, visit your state’s Department of Revenue website.
For independent contractor nurses, however, they are still available as deductible items.
Do Nursing Shoes Count as Part of My Uniform?
You’re on your feet a lot. You know how important it is to have sturdy, quality shoes during your shift.
If you are an independent contractor, you’re probably hoping that those new Nike Max are tax-deductible.
They could be, but hang on, don’t rush to purchase them just yet.
Remember from our previous section that for an independent contractor’s uniform to be tax-deductible, it needs to meet both of these requirements:
Unreimbursed by the employer
Not suitable for personal wear.
Those non-slip nursing shoes you’ve worn all shift in the ER are NOT suitable for outside wear because they’re:
Probably covered in germs, and
Typically meant specifically for work
Those are tax-deductible. The flip-flops you wear to walk around the locker room? No, because they aren’t work-specific, they can’t be deducted.
As An Independent Contractor Is There a Limit To How Many Uniforms I Can Deduct?
We’ve got great news! No, there is no limit to how many uniforms you can deduct from your taxes. As long as you’ve met the requirements outlined in the section above, you are good to go.
That means it’s always a great time to stock up on Silver Lining Scrubs. If your hospital doesn’t provide scrubs, or if you need better fitting scrubs to feel confident and comfortable at work, then SLS has the scrubs for you.
Did we mention they’re tax-deductible?
How Do Independent Contractors Get the Nurse Uniform Tax Rebate?
When you start the fun process of preparing your taxes, you’ll start with Form 1040, since that’s what all U.S. taxpayers use to file an annual income tax return.
Between the standard deduction and the itemized deduction, we’re focusing on the latter. This is because you lose out on all your deductions if you go the standard deduction route.
Here’s what you need to easily prepare your taxes and get the nurse uniform tax rebate:
Receipts
Always keep the receipts for items you plan on deducting.
While filing taxes as an independent contractor can be somewhat complicated, compiling your unreimbursed work expenses simply requires some receipt management.
Let's look at an example of the importance of managing your receipts.
Linda, a Registered Nurse, moved from North Carolina to Texas for a new job during the past year. Linda has been really excited about this fresh start in a new hospital.
Before Linda’s move, the hospital told her that her scrubs needed to be in their color scheme, which Linda had never worn for work before. Linda ordered some new scrubs online and got them before her move. She put the scrubs receipt in a box with her other work-related expenses and forgot about it.
Now that the tax season has arrived, Linda realizes that she can’t find her receipt box and that it must have been misplaced during her move.
The hospital didn’t reimburse her for the new scrubs, so she planned to file a deduction on her independent contractor taxes for this year.
Unfortunately, without the receipts, Linda won’t be able to deduct the cost from her taxes.
Schedule C Form
As an independent contractor, you know that your nursing scrubs are tax-deductible, but how do you actually get the deduction?
Your unreimbursed work expenses can be deducted from your income on Schedule C (Form 1040).
Once you get your expense and receipt management down, this can be a piece of cake. Remember that along with your nursing scrubs, unreimbursed work expenses like…
Transportation
Equipment
Licensing fees
And more
… are also tax-deductible on Schedule C.
What Types of Nursing Positions Are Sometimes Held by Independent Contractors Who Qualify for a Nursing Uniform Deduction?
Who are these mysterious independent contractors?
While an independent contractor could excel at almost any nursing position, there are a couple of positions you would be more likely to be in.
Disaster Relief Nurses
As a disaster relief nurse, you’re almost certainly relocating to a new location.
When you first get there, they might lend you scrubs with their logo or in their color. However, you’ll eventually need to get some of your own.
When you do, you can rest easy knowing that they’ll be tax-deductible because you’re an independent contractor.
Advanced Specialty Nurses
As an Advanced Specialty Nurse, you might be working with patients at multiple hospitals and clinic locations.
If each of these locations requires a different uniform,, those costs can add up quickly.
Remember to keep your receipts when you purchase your scrubs since they are all tax-deductible for independent contractors.
Tax-Deductible and Comfortable? Shop Silver Lining Scrubs For The Perfect Fit
When looking for new, possibly tax-deductible, scrubs, look no further than Silver Lining Scrubs.
Cold at work? Silver Lining Scrubs offers high-quality, lined, and tailored scrubs to keep you warm all winter — or in the dreaded office AC.
Don’t let being cold at work affect your productivity. Lined scrubs from Silver Lining Scrubs will keep you warm — and keep your style on point.
Whether you need new scrubs to keep you warm, for a better fit, or a new position, Silver Lining Scrubs provide the best of both worlds with comfortable, quality scrubs in various styles.
