Involuntary Parking expense?

[laurannm]

One of the deductions on my pay check is for parking ($44\month). Technically speaking it's not "required for employment", in the sense that if I did not drive to work, I wouldn't have to pay. On the other hand, I live 50 miles away and there are no public transportation options available to me that can get me to work. I even checked into car pooling but nothing available. And if you drive to work, you must pay for parking

Do you think this can be considered a mandatory payroll deduction on line 25 of the means test?

[Flamingo]

If this has been a long term deduction from your paycheck and is initiated by your employer and is required of all other employees who drive to work to cover your parking, it is a mandatory payroll deduction because you have no other way to get to work since you cannot walk and there is no public transportation. If necessary, get a letter from your payroll dept. as to what it is for and see if there is anything about it in your employee handbook. $44 a month is really cheap for parking at least in my area!

[laurannm]

Thanks Flamingo

Yep, it has been a deduction for the 3+ years I have been employed there, and all employees who drive to work must pay for parking.

I was just looking through the employee handbook though, and it lists parking as "voluntary" (probably on the basis I mentioned earlier)

[Flamingo]

Thanks Flamingo

Yep, it has been a deduction for the 3+ years I have been employed there, and all employees who drive to work must pay for parking.

I was just looking through the employee handbook though, and it lists parking as "voluntary" (probably on the basis I mentioned earlier)

Your explanation is in your first sentence. The word "voluntary" in your handbook more than likely means you have the choice of parking there and paying that $44 as a payroll deduction or parking elsewhere and probably paying more, am I correct? I would list that amount and if questioned, obtain a letter from your HR or Payroll Dept. describing that deduction to back up your claim. I don't think you will have any problem at all.