Tools, truck, and materials — all deductible, all tracked.
TaxClover keeps handymen, electricians, plumbers, and painters tax-ready: §179 tools, truck expenses, and a live quarterly number.
Typical trades & contractors: Handymen · electricians · plumbers · painters · HVAC · landscaping
Trades carry real overhead — tools, a work truck, materials fronted before a customer pays. TaxClover sorts §179 tool purchases from consumable supplies, tracks the truck either way (standard mileage or actual), and keeps your quarterly estimate honest across a feast-or-famine schedule.
What trades & contractors write off most
TaxClover sorts each one onto the correct IRS line automatically. These are the big ones for your line of work.
Tools & equipment (§179)
Power tools, ladders, and equipment over your threshold can be expensed in full under Section 179 the year you buy them.
Work truck & vehicle
The truck you can't work without — standard mileage at 72.5¢ or actual gas, repairs, and insurance. Pick one method per vehicle.
Materials & supplies
Consumables you don't itemize per job — fasteners, tape, blades, drop cloths, sandpaper.
Subcontractor labor
Apprentices and subs you pay $600+ are contract labor and generally need a 1099-NEC from you.
Materials you buy for a specific job are cost of goods, not a generic supply — and money fronted for materials before the customer pays still has to be tracked. Don't let a fronted invoice vanish from the books.
Everything a trades & contractor needs to stay tax-ready
- A live quarterly estimate — federal, SE, and your state
- Schedule C expense tracking across all 22 IRS lines
- Mileage logging at the 2026 rate of 72.5¢/mile
- Receipt scanning that drafts a categorized expense
- 1099-NEC tracking and reconciliation by client
- A year-end bundle ready for your CPA or TurboTax
One plan, $19/mo or $190/yr. TaxClover doesn't file your taxes and isn't a substitute for a CPA — it makes sure you're ready for both.
Trades & contractors tax questions
Can I write off my whole truck this year?+
Heavy work vehicles can qualify for large first-year deductions, but the rules are specific. TaxClover tracks the truck both ways and flags it as a year-end CPA conversation.
Standard mileage or actual truck expenses?+
Trades with heavy fuel and repair costs often do better with actual expenses; lighter use favors the 72.5¢ standard rate. TaxClover logs both so you can compare.
Do I send 1099s to my subs?+
If you paid an unincorporated sub $600+ in the year, yes. TaxClover's tracker lists who crossed the threshold and reminds you each January.
The April surprise is a choice. Stop choosing it.
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