Four Myths about Working from Home

When it comes to work-at-home or telecommuting jobs, it’s important to separate the fact from the fiction before you can decide whether this type of work is right for you, and so that you can avoid the many work-at-home scams on the internet.

1.) All your Work Equipment is Tax Deductible

Tax regulations are pretty specific on this one. Much of your equipment is indeed tax deductible, but only in very specific situations.

For example, your home office space is tax deductible only if it is dedicated work space (a corner in the living room doesn’t count!), and your home office must be used to meet clients for it to qualify. A tangential point to be aware of is that deducting for a home office is considered by many freelancers to be an audit “trigger”. Equipment that you use for work is deductible; however it must be used for work purposes at least 50% of the time to qualify, and the amount you can deduct is based on that percentage.

2.) You Need to Pay to Get Work

There are many Web sites out there where you can pay to become a member and supposedly tap into a secret treasure-trove of high-paying freelance jobs. There are also scams that promise you unrealistically high income for a work-at-home job, and then ask you to pay a fee for equipment. Avoid these! Paying the fee does not guarantee you will get any work, and at worst you may end up getting scammed. There are plenty of free sources of work out there—you don’t have to pay for it.

3.) You can Work as Much (or as little) as you Want

Working from home gives you a great deal of flexibility in choosing when and where you want to work, but as far as how much time you spend working goes, you still have to put in the hours. Many freelancers find that they have to put in longer hours, particularly when starting out. If you find a work-from-home job opportunity that says you can earn hundreds of dollars a day by working for one or two hours, it’s almost guaranteed to be a scam.

4.) You’ll have More Spare Time and Fewer Distractions

Being successful in a home-based job requires dedication and often long hours of work. You do have the advantage of not having to commute to work, but you won’t necessarily get any extra free time out of it. Working from home is often more distracting, with phone calls and visits from people who don’t understand that you’re at home to work, not to socialize.

Also, please review our Tools to Find a Job section.