2017 Publication 521 Adam Equipment Building Set PTS 2000 P521

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Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

Publication 521

Contents
What's New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Cat. No. 15040E

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Moving
Expenses

Who Can Deduct Moving Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

For use in preparing

2017 Returns

Deductible Moving Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Nondeductible Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Reimbursements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How and When To Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Illustrated Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Members of the Armed Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
How To Get Tax Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

What's New
Standard mileage rate. For 2017, the standard mileage
rate for using your vehicle to move to a new home is 17
cents a mile. See Travel by car under Deductible Moving
Expenses.

Reminders
Future developments. For the latest information about
developments related to Pub. 521, such as legislation
enacted after it was published, go to IRS.gov/Pub521.
Change of address. If you change your mailing address,
be sure to notify the IRS using Form 8822, Change of Address. Mail it to the Internal Revenue Service Center for
your old address. Addresses for the service centers are
on the back of the form. If you change your business address or the identity of your responsible party, use Form
8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business.
Photographs of missing children. The Internal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC). Photographs of
missing children selected by the Center may appear in
this publication on pages that would otherwise be blank.
You can help bring these children home by looking at the
photographs
and
calling
1-800-THE-LOST
(1-800-843-5678) if you recognize a child.

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Jan 03, 2018

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Introduction
This publication explains the deduction of certain moving
expenses to a new home because you started or changed
job locations. It includes the following topics.
Who can deduct moving expenses.

Useful Items

You may want to see:
Publication
3

Armed Forces' Tax Guide

Forms (and Instructions)

What moving expenses are deductible.

1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

What moving expenses aren't deductible.

1040X Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

How a reimbursement affects your moving expense
deduction.
How and when to report moving expenses.
Special rules for members of the Armed Forces.
Form 3903, Moving Expenses, is used to claim the moving expense deduction. An example of how to report your
moving expenses is shown near the end of the publication.
You may be able to deduct moving expenses whether
you are self-employed or an employee. Your expenses
generally must be related to starting work at your new job
location. However, certain retirees and survivors may
qualify to claim the deduction even though they aren't
starting work at a new job location. See Who Can Deduct
Moving Expenses.
Recordkeeping. It is important to maintain an accurate
record of expenses you paid to move. You should save
items such as receipts, bills, canceled checks, credit card
statements, and mileage logs. Also, you should save your
Form W-2 and statements of reimbursement from your
employer.
Comments and suggestions. We welcome your comments about this publication and your suggestions for future editions.
You can send us comments from IRS.gov/
FormComments. Or you can write to:
Internal Revenue Service
Tax Forms and Publications
1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR-6526
Washington, DC 20224
Although we cannot respond individually to each comment received, we do appreciate your feedback and will
consider your comments as we revise our tax products.
Ordering forms and publications. Visit IRS.gov/
FormsPubs to download forms and publications. Otherwise, you can go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to order current
and prior-year forms and instructions. Your order should
arrive within 10 business days.
Tax questions. If you have a tax question not answered by this publication, check IRS.gov and How To
Get Tax Help at the end of this publication.

Page 2

3903 Moving Expenses
8822 Change of Address
8822-B Change of Address or Responsible Party —
Business
See How To Get Tax Help near the end of this publication,
for information about getting the publications and the
forms listed above.

Who Can Deduct Moving
Expenses
You can deduct your moving expenses if you meet all
three of the following requirements.
Your move is closely related to the start of work.
You meet the distance test.
You meet the time test.
After you have read these rules, you may want to use Figure B to help you decide if you can deduct your moving
expenses.
Retirees, survivors, and Armed Forces members.
Different rules may apply if you are a member of the
Armed Forces or a retiree or survivor moving to the United
States. These rules are discussed later in this publication.

Move Related to Start of Work
Your move must be closely related, both in time and in
place, to the start of work at your new job location.
Closely related in time. In most cases, you can consider moving expenses incurred within 1 year from the
date you first reported to work at the new location as
closely related in time to the start of work. It isn't necessary that you arrange to work before moving to a new location, as long as you actually go to work in that location.
If you don't move within 1 year of the date you begin
work, you ordinarily can't deduct the expenses unless you
can show that circumstances existed that prevented the
move within that time.
Example. Your family moved more than a year after
you started work at a new location. You delayed the move
for 18 months to allow your child to complete high school.
You can deduct your moving expenses.
Publication 521 (2017)

Figure A. Illustration of Distance Test

3
miles

Old
main job
location

58
miles

DISTANCE TEST IS MET
Your new main job location is at
least 50 miles farther from your
former residence than your old
main job location was.

Former
residence

New
main job location
38
miles

DISTANCE TEST ISN’T MET
Your new main job location
isn’t at least 50 miles farther from
your former residence than your
old main job location was.
New
main job
location

Closely related in place. You can generally consider
your move closely related in place to the start of work if
the distance from your new home to the new job location
isn't more than the distance from your former home to the
new job location. If your move doesn't meet this requirement, you may still be able to deduct moving expenses if
you can show that:
You are required to live at your new home as a condition of your employment, or
You will spend less time or money commuting from
your new home to your new job location.
Home defined. Your home means your main home
(residence). It can be a house, apartment, condominium,
houseboat, house trailer, or similar dwelling. It doesn't include other homes owned or kept up by you or members
of your family. It also doesn't include a seasonal home,
such as a summer beach cottage. Your former home
means your home before you left for your new job location. Your new home means your home within the area of
your new job location.

Publication 521 (2017)

Retirees or survivors. You may be able to deduct the
expenses of moving to the United States or its possessions even though the move isn't related to the start of
work at a new job location. You must have worked outside
the United States or be a survivor of someone who did.
See Retirees or Survivors Who Move to the United States,
later.

Distance Test
Your move will meet the distance test if your new main job
location is at least 50 miles farther from your former home
than your old main job location was from your former
home. For example, if your old main job location was 3
miles from your former home, your new main job location
must be at least 53 miles from that former home. You can
use Worksheet 1 to see if you meet this test.

Page 3

Worksheet 1. Distance Test

Note. Members of the Armed Forces may not have to meet this test. See Members of the
Armed Forces.
Enter the number of miles from your old home to your new workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Enter the number of miles from your old home to your old workplace

Subtract line 2 from line 1. If zero or less, enter -0-

Is line 3 at least 50 miles?
Yes. You meet this test.
No. You don't meet this test. You can't deduct your moving expenses.

. .

miles

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

miles

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

miles

The distance between a job location and your home is
the shortest of the more commonly traveled routes between them. The distance test considers only the location
of your former home. It doesn't take into account the location of your new home. See Figure A.
Example. You moved to a new home less than 50
miles from your former home because you changed main
job locations. Your old main job location was 3 miles from
your former home. Your new main job location is 60 miles
from that home. Because your new main job location is 57
miles farther from your former home than the distance
from your former home to your old main job location, you
meet the distance test.
First job or return to full-time work. If you go to work
full time for the first time, your place of work must be at
least 50 miles from your former home to meet the distance
test.
If you go back to full-time work after a substantial period of part-time work or unemployment, your place of
work also must be at least 50 miles from your former
home.
Armed Forces. If you are in the Armed Forces and you
moved because of a permanent change of station, you
don't have to meet the distance test. See Members of the
Armed Forces, later.
Main job location. Your main job location is usually the
place where you spend most of your working time. This
could be your office, plant, store, shop, or other location. If
there is no one place where you spend most of your working time, your main job location is the place where your
work is centered, such as where you report for work or are
otherwise required to “base” your work.

Union members. If you work for several employers on
a short-term basis and you get work under a union hall
system (such as a construction or building trades worker),
your main job location is the union hall.
More than one job. If you have more than one job at
any time, your main job location depends on the facts in
each case. The more important factors to be considered
are:
The total time you spend at each place,
The amount of work you do at each place, and
How much money you earn at each place.

Time Test
To deduct your moving expenses, you also must meet
one of the following two time tests.
The time test for employees.
The time test for self-employed persons.
Both of these tests are explained below. See Table 1 for a
summary of these tests.
You can deduct your moving expenses before you
meet either of the time tests. See Time Test Not Yet Met,
later.

Time Test for Employees
If you are an employee, you must work full time for at least
39 weeks during the first 12 months after you arrive in the
general area of your new job location (39-week test).
Full-time employment depends on what is usual for your
type of work in your area.

Table 1. Satisfying the Time Test for Employees and Self-Employed Persons
IF you are...

THEN you satisfy the time test by meeting the...

an employee

39-week test for employees.

self-employed

78-week test for self-employed persons.

both self-employed and an employee at the same time

78-week test for a self-employed person or the 39-week test
for an employee. Your principal place of work determines
which test applies.

both self-employed and an employee, but unable to satisfy
the 39-week test for employees

78-week test for self-employed persons.

Page 4

Publication 521 (2017)

Figure B. Can You Deduct Expenses for a Non-Military Move Within the United States?1
Start Here:
Was your move closely related to a
new or changed job location?2

You can’t
deduct your
moving
expenses

Yes

Is your new main job location at least
50 miles farther from your FORMER
HOME than your old main job location
was?

Yes

Are you an employee?

Are you self-employed?

Yes

Did you or will you work full time as an
employee for at least 39 weeks in the
first 12 months after you arrived in the
new area?3,4
Yes

Yes

Did you or will you work full time as an
employee or a self-employed person
for at least 78 weeks in the first 24
months (which includes 39 weeks in
the first 12 months) after you arrived in
the new area?

Yes

You may be able to deduct your
moving expenses

Military persons should see Members of the Armed Forces, later, for special rules that apply to them.
Your move must be closely related to the start of work at your new job location. See Move Related to Start of Work, earlier.
3
If you deduct expenses and don’t meet this test later, you must either file an amended tax return or report your moving expense deduction as other income.
See Time Test Not Yet Met, later.
4
If you became self-employed during the first 12 months, answer YES if your time as a full-time employee added to your time as a self-employed person equals
or will equal at least 78 weeks in the first 24 months (including 39 weeks in the first 12 months) after you arrived in the new area.
2

For purposes of this test, the following four rules apply.
You count only your full-time work as an employee,
not any work you do as a self-employed person.
You don't have to work for the same employer for all
39 weeks.

riod of less than 6 months. For example, a school teacher
on a 12-month contract who teaches on a full-time basis
for more than 6 months is considered to have worked full
time for the entire 12 months.

You don't have to work 39 weeks in a row.

Time Test for Self-Employed Persons

You must work full time within the same general commuting area for all 39 weeks.

If you are self-employed, you must work full time for at
least 39 weeks during the first 12 months and for a total of
at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months after you arrive in the general area of your new job location (78-week
test).

Temporary absence from work. You are considered to
have worked full time during any week you are temporarily
absent from work because of illness, strikes, lockouts, layoffs, natural disasters, or similar causes. You are also
considered to have worked full time during any week you
are absent from work for leave or vacation provided for in
your work contract or agreement.
Seasonal work. If your work is seasonal, you are considered to be working full time during the off-season only if
your work contract or agreement covers an off-season pePublication 521 (2017)

For purposes of the time test for self-employed persons, the following three rules apply.
You count any full-time work you do either as an employee or as a self-employed person.
You don't have to work for the same employer or be
self-employed in the same trade or business for the 78
weeks.
Page 5

You must work within the same general commuting
area for all 78 weeks.
Example. You are a self-employed accountant who
moves from Atlanta to New York City, and begin to work
there on December 1, 2017. You pay moving expenses in
2017 and 2018 in connection with this move. On April 16,
2018, when you file your income tax return for the year
2017, you have been performing services as a self-employed individual on a full-time basis in New York City for
approximately 20 weeks. Although you haven't satisfied
the 78-week employment condition at this time, you can
deduct your 2017 moving expenses on your 2017 income
tax return as there is still sufficient time remaining before
December 1, 2019, to satisfy such condition. You can deduct any moving expenses you pay in 2018 on your 2018
income tax return even if you haven't met the 78-week
test. You have until December 1, 2019, to satisfy this requirement.
Self-employment. You are self-employed if you work as
the sole owner of an unincorporated business or as a partner in a partnership carrying on a business. You aren't
considered self-employed if you are semi-retired, are a
part-time student, or work only a few hours each week.
Full-time work. You can count only those weeks during
which you work full time as a week of work. Whether you
work full time during any week depends on what is usual
for your type of work in your area. For example, you are a
self-employed dentist and maintain office hours 4 days a
week. You are considered to perform services full time if
maintaining office hours 4 days a week isn't unusual for
other self-employed dentists in your area.
Temporary absence from work. You are considered
to be self-employed on a full-time basis during any week
you are temporarily absent from work because of illness,
strikes, natural disasters, or similar causes.
Seasonal trade or business. If your trade or business is seasonal, the off-season weeks when no work is
required or available may be counted as weeks during
which you worked full time. The off-season must be less
than 6 months and you must work full time before and after the off-season.
Example. You own and operate a motel at a beach resort. The motel is closed for 5 months during the off-season. You work full time as the operator of the motel before
and after the off-season. You are considered self-employed on a full-time basis during the weeks of the off-season.
If you were both an employee and self-employed, see
Table 1 for the requirements.
Example. Justin quit his job and moved from the east
coast to the west coast to begin a full-time job as a cabinet-maker for the Cabinet Shop. He generally worked at
the shop about 40 hours each week. Shortly after the
move, Justin also began operating a cabinet-installation
business from his home for several hours each afternoon
and all day on weekends. Because Justin's principal place
Page 6

of business is the Cabinet Shop, he can satisfy the time
test by meeting the 39-week test.
If Justin is unable to satisfy the requirements of the
39-week test during the 12-month period immediately following his arrival in the general location of his new principal place of work, he can satisfy the 78-week test.

Joint Return
If you are married, file a joint return, and both you and your
spouse work full time, either of you can satisfy the full-time
work test individually. However, you can't add the weeks
your spouse worked to the weeks you worked to satisfy
that test.

Time Test Not Yet Met
You can deduct your moving expenses on your 2017 tax
return even though you haven't met the time test by the
date your 2017 return is due. You can do this if you expect
to meet the 39-week test in 2018 or the 78-week test in
2018 or 2019.
If you don't deduct your moving expenses on your 2017
return, and you later meet the time test, you can file an
amended return for 2017 to take the deduction. See When
To Deduct Expenses, later, for more details.
Failure to meet the time test. If you deduct moving expenses but don't meet the time test in 2018 or 2019, you
must either:
Report your moving expense deduction as other income on your Form 1040 for the year you can't meet
the test; or
Use Form 1040X to amend your 2017 return, figuring
your tax without the moving expense deduction.
Example. You arrive in the general area of your new
job location, as an employee, on September 12, 2017.
You deduct your moving expenses on your 2017 return,
the year of the move, even though you haven't yet met the
time test by the date your return is due. If you don't meet
the 39-week test during the 12-month period following
your arrival in the general area of your new job location,
you must either:
Report your moving expense deduction as other income on your Form 1040 for 2018; or
Use Form 1040X to amend your 2017 return, figuring
your tax without the moving expense deduction.

Exceptions to the Time Test
You don't have to meet the time test if one of the following
applies.
You are in the Armed Forces and you moved because
of a permanent change of station. See Members of
the Armed Forces, later.
Your main job location was outside the United States
and you moved to the United States because you
Publication 521 (2017)

retired. See Retirees or Survivors Who Move to the
United States, later.
You are the survivor of a person whose main job location at the time of death was outside the United
States. See Retirees or Survivors Who Move to the
United States, later.
Your job at the new location ends because of death or
disability.
You are transferred for your employer's benefit or laid
off for a reason other than willful misconduct. For this
exception, you must have obtained full-time employment and you must have expected to meet the test at
the time you started the job.

Retirees or Survivors Who Move to
the United States
If you are a retiree who was working abroad or a survivor
of a decedent who was working abroad and you move to
the United States or one of its possessions, you don't
have to meet the time test, discussed earlier. However,
you must meet the requirements discussed below under
Retirees who were working abroad or Survivors of decedents who were working abroad.

CAUTION

If you are living in the United States, retire, and
then move and remain retired, you can't claim a
moving expense deduction for that move.

United States defined. For this section of this publication, the term “United States” includes the possessions
of the United States.
Retirees who were working abroad. You can deduct
moving expenses for a move to a new home in the United
States when you permanently retire. However, both your
former main job location and your former home must have
been outside the United States.
Permanently retired. You are considered permanently retired when you cease gainful full-time employment or self-employment. If, at the time you retire, you intend your retirement to be permanent, you will be
considered retired even though you later return to work.
Your intention to retire permanently may be determined
by:
Your age and health,
The customary retirement age for people who do similar work,
Whether you receive retirement payments from a pension or retirement fund, and
The length of time before you return to full-time work.
Decedents. Qualified deductible moving expenses are
allowed on a final return (Form 1040 or 1040NR) when a
taxpayer has moved and dies within the same calendar
year. The personal representative filing on behalf of that
taxpayer should complete and attach Form 3903 to the final return.
Publication 521 (2017)

A personal representative can be an executor, administrator, or anyone who is in charge of the deceased person's property. For more information, see Pub. 559, Survivors, Executors, and Administrators.
Survivors of decedents who were working abroad. If
you are the spouse or the dependent of a person whose
main job location at the time of death was outside the United States, you can deduct moving expenses if the following five requirements are met.
The move is to a home in the United States.
The move begins within 6 months after the decedent's
death. (When a move begins is described below.)
The move is from the decedent's former home.
The decedent's former home was outside the United
States.
The decedent's former home was also your home.
When a move begins. A move begins when one of
the following events occurs.
You contract for your household goods and personal
effects to be moved to your home in the United States,
but only if the move is completed within a reasonable
time.
Your household goods and personal effects are
packed and on the way to your home in the United
States.
You leave your former home to travel to your new
home in the United States.

Deductible Moving Expenses
If you meet the requirements discussed earlier under Who
Can Deduct Moving Expenses, you can deduct the reasonable expenses of:
Moving your household goods and personal effects
(including in-transit or foreign-move storage expenses), and
Traveling (including lodging but not meals) to your
new home.

You can't deduct any expenses for meals.

CAUTION

Reasonable expenses. You can deduct only those expenses that are reasonable for the circumstances of your
move. For example, the cost of traveling from your former
home to your new one should be by the shortest, most direct route available by conventional transportation. If, during your trip to your new home, you stop over, or make
side trips for sightseeing, the additional expenses for your
stopover or side trips aren't deductible as moving expenses.
Example. Beth's employer transferred her from Boston, Massachusetts, to Buffalo, New York. On her way to
Page 7

Buffalo, Beth drove into Canada to visit the Toronto Zoo.
Since Beth's excursion into Canada was away from the
usual Boston-Buffalo route, the expenses paid or incurred
for the excursion aren't deductible. Beth can only deduct
what it would have cost to drive directly from Boston to
Buffalo. Likewise, Beth can't deduct any expenses, such
as the cost of a hotel room, caused by the delay for sightseeing.
Travel by car. If you use your car to take yourself, members of your household, or your personal effects to your
new home, you can figure your expenses by deducting either:
Your actual expenses, such as the amount you pay for
gas and oil for your car, if you keep an accurate record
of each expense, or
The standard mileage rate of 17 cents a mile.
Whether you use actual expenses or the standard mileage rate to figure your expenses, you can deduct the
parking fees and tolls you pay to move. You can't deduct
any part of general repairs, general maintenance, insurance, or depreciation for your car.
Member of your household. You can deduct moving
expenses you pay for yourself and members of your
household. A member of your household is anyone who
has both your former and new home as his or her home. It
doesn't include a tenant or employee, unless that person
is your dependent.

Moves to Locations in the United
States
If you meet the requirements under Who Can Deduct
Moving Expenses, earlier, you can deduct expenses for a
move to the area of a new main job location within the United States or its possessions. Your move may be from
one U.S. location to another or from a foreign country to
the United States.
Household goods and personal effects. You can deduct the cost of packing, crating, and transporting your
household goods and personal effects and those of the
members of your household from your former home to
your new home. For purposes of moving expenses, the
term “personal effects” includes, but isn't limited to, movable personal property that the taxpayer owns and frequently uses.
If you use your own car to move your things, see Travel
by car, earlier.
You can deduct any costs of connecting or disconnecting utilities required because you are moving your household goods, appliances, or personal effects.
You can deduct the cost of shipping your car and your
household pets to your new home.
You can deduct the cost of moving your household
goods and personal effects from a place other than your
former home. Your deduction is limited to the amount it
would have cost to move them from your former home.

Page 8

Example. Paul Brown has been living and working in
North Carolina for the last 4 years. Because he has been
renting a small apartment, he stored some furniture at his
parents' home in Georgia. Paul got a job in Washington,
DC. It cost him $900 to move the furniture from his North
Carolina apartment to Washington and $3,000 to move
the stored furniture from Georgia to Washington. It would
have cost $1,800 to ship the stored furniture from North
Carolina to Washington. He can deduct only $1,800 of the
$3,000 he paid. The amount he can deduct for moving his
furniture is $2,700 ($900 + $1,800).

You can't deduct the cost of moving furniture you
buy on the way to your new home.

CAUTION

Storage expenses. You can include the cost of storing
and insuring household goods and personal effects within
any period of 30 consecutive days after the day your
things are moved from your former home and before they
are delivered to your new home.
Travel expenses. You can deduct the cost of transportation and lodging for yourself and members of your household while traveling from your former home to your new
home. This includes expenses for the day you arrive.
The day of arrival is the day you secure lodging at the
new place of residence, even if the lodging is on a temporary basis.
You can include any lodging expenses you had in the
area of your former home within 1 day after you could no
longer live in your former home because your furniture
had been moved.
The members of your household don't have to travel together or at the same time. However, you can only deduct
expenses for one trip per person. If you use your own car,
see Travel by car, earlier.
Example. In February 2017, Josh and Robyn moved
from Minneapolis to Washington, DC, where Josh was
starting a new job. Josh drove the family car to Washington, a trip of 1,100 miles. His expenses were $187 for
mileage (1,100 miles x 17 cents a mile) plus $40 for tolls
and $150 for lodging, for a total of $377. One week later,
Robyn flew from Minneapolis to Washington. Her only expense was her $400 plane ticket. Their deduction is $777
(Josh's $377 + Robyn's $400).

Moves to Locations Outside the
United States
To deduct expenses for a move outside the United States,
you must move to the area of a new place of work outside
the United States and its possessions. You must meet the
requirements under Who Can Deduct Moving Expenses,
earlier.
Deductible expenses. If your move is to a location outside the United States and its possessions, you can deduct the following expenses.
The cost of moving household goods and personal effects from your former home to your new home.
Publication 521 (2017)

The cost of traveling (including lodging) from your former home to your new home.
The cost of moving household goods and personal effects to and from storage.
The cost of storing household goods and personal effects while you are at the new job location.
The first two items were explained earlier under Moves to
Locations in the United States. The last two items are discussed later.
Moving goods and effects to and from storage. You
can deduct the reasonable expenses of moving your personal effects to and from storage.
Storage expenses. You can deduct the reasonable expenses of storing your household goods and personal effects for all or part of the time the new job location remains
your main job location.
Moving expenses allocable to excluded foreign income. If you live and work outside the United States, you
may be able to exclude from income part or all of the income you earn in the foreign country. You may also be
able to claim a foreign housing exclusion or deduction.
However, if you do claim the foreign earned income or foreign housing exclusion, you can't deduct the part of your
moving expenses that relates to the excluded income.
Pub. 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad, explains how to figure the part of your moving
expenses that relates to excluded income. You can get
the publication from most U.S. embassies and consulates,
or see How To Get Tax Help at the end of this publication.

Nondeductible Expenses
You can't deduct the following items as moving expenses.
Any part of the purchase price of your new home.
Car tags.
Driver's license.
Expenses of buying or selling a home (including closing costs, mortgage fees, and points).
Expenses of entering into or breaking a lease.
Home improvements to help sell your home.
Loss on the sale of your home.
Losses from disposing of memberships in clubs.
Mortgage penalties.
Pre-move househunting expenses.
Real estate taxes.
Refitting of carpet and draperies.
Return trips to your former residence.
Security deposits (including any given up due to the
move).

Publication 521 (2017)

Storage charges except those incurred in transit and
for foreign moves.
No double deduction. You can't take a moving expense
deduction and a business expense deduction for the
same expenses. You must decide if your expenses are
deductible as moving expenses or as business expenses.
For example, expenses you have for travel, meals, and
lodging while temporarily working at a place away from
your regular place of work may be deductible as business
expenses if you are considered away from home on business. In most cases, your work at a single location is considered temporary if it is realistically expected to last (and
does in fact last) for 1 year or less.
See Pub. 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses, for information on deducting your business expenses.

Reimbursements
This section explains how to report a reimbursement (including advances and allowances) on your tax return. It
covers reimbursements for any of your moving expenses
discussed in this publication. It also explains the types of
reimbursements on which your employer must withhold income, social security, and Medicare taxes.

Types of Reimbursement Plans
If you receive a reimbursement for your moving expenses,
how you report this amount and your expenses depends
on whether the reimbursement is paid to you under an accountable plan or a nonaccountable plan. For a quick
overview of how to report your reimbursement and moving
expenses, see Table 2 in the section on How and When
To Report, later.
Your employer should tell you what method of reimbursement is used and what records are required.

Accountable Plans
To be an accountable plan, your employer's reimbursement arrangement must require you to meet all three of
the following rules.
Your expenses must have a business connection —
that is, you must have paid or incurred deductible expenses while performing services as an employee of
your employer. Two examples of this are the reasonable expenses of moving your possessions from your
former home to your new home, and traveling from
your former home to your new home.
You must adequately account to your employer for
these expenses within a reasonable period of time.
You must return any excess reimbursement or allowance within a reasonable period of time.
Adequate accounting. You adequately account for your
moving expenses by giving your employer documentation
of those expenses, such as a statement of expense, an
Page 9

account book, a diary, or a similar record in which you entered each expense at or near the time you had it. Documentation includes receipts, canceled checks, and bills.
Reasonable period of time. What constitutes a “reasonable period of time” depends on the facts and circumstances of your situation. However, regardless of the facts and
circumstances, actions that take place within the times
specified in the following list will be treated as taking place
within a reasonable period of time.
You receive an advance within 30 days of the time you
have an expense.
You adequately account for your expenses within 60
days after they were paid or incurred.
You return any excess reimbursement within 120 days
after the expense was paid or incurred.
You are given a periodic statement (at least quarterly)
that asks you to either return or adequately account
for outstanding advances and you comply within 120
days of the statement.
Excess reimbursement. This includes any amount you
are paid (including advances and allowances) that is more
than the moving expenses that you adequately accounted
for to your employer within a reasonable period of time.
Returning excess reimbursements. You must be required to return any excess reimbursement for your moving expenses to the person paying the reimbursement.
Excess reimbursement includes any amount for which you
didn't adequately account within a reasonable period of
time. For example, if you received an advance and you
didn't spend all the money on deductible moving expenses, or you don't have proof of all your expenses, you
have an excess reimbursement.
You meet accountable plan rules. If for all reimbursements you meet the three rules for an accountable plan
(listed earlier), your employer shouldn't include any reimbursements of expenses in your income in box 1 of your
Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Instead, your employer should include the reimbursements in box 12 of
your Form W-2 with code P.
Example. You lived in Boston and accepted a job in
Atlanta. Under an accountable plan, your employer reimbursed you for your actual traveling expenses from Boston to Atlanta and the cost of moving your furniture to Atlanta. Your employer will include the reimbursement on
your Form W-2, box 12, with code P. If your moving expenses are more than your reimbursement, you may be
able to deduct your additional expenses (see How and
When To Report, later).
You don't meet accountable plan rules. You may be
reimbursed by your employer, but you may not meet all
three rules for part of your expenses.
If your deductible expenses are reimbursed under an
otherwise accountable plan but you don't return, within a
reasonable period, any reimbursement of expenses for
which you didn't adequately account, then only the
Page 10

amount for which you did adequately account is considered as paid under an accountable plan. The remaining
expenses are treated as having been reimbursed under a
nonaccountable plan (discussed below).
Reimbursement of nondeductible expenses. You
may be reimbursed by your employer for moving expenses, some of which are deductible expenses and some of
which aren't deductible. The reimbursements you receive
for the nondeductible expenses and any allowances for
miscellaneous or unspecified expenses are treated as
paid under a nonaccountable plan (see below) and are included in your income. If you are reimbursed by your employer for the taxes you must pay (including social security
and Medicare taxes) because you have received taxable
moving expense reimbursements, you must pay tax on
this reimbursement as well, and it is treated as paid under
a nonaccountable plan.

Nonaccountable Plans
A nonaccountable plan is a reimbursement arrangement
that doesn't meet the three rules listed earlier under Accountable Plans.
In addition, the following payments will be treated as
paid under a nonaccountable plan.
Excess reimbursements you fail to return to your employer.
Reimbursements of nondeductible expenses. See Reimbursement of nondeductible expenses, earlier.
If an arrangement pays for your moving expenses by reducing your wages, salary, or other pay, the amount of the
reduction will be treated as a payment made under a nonaccountable plan. This is because you are entitled to receive the full amount of your pay regardless of whether
you had any moving expenses.
If you aren't sure if the moving expense reimbursement
arrangement is an accountable or nonaccountable plan,
ask your employer.
Your employer will add the amount of any reimbursement paid to you under a nonaccountable plan to your wages, salary, or other pay. Your employer will report the total in box 1 of your Form W-2.
Example. To get you to work in another city, your new
employer reimburses you under an accountable plan for
the $7,500 loss on the sale of your home. Because this is
a reimbursement of a nondeductible expense, it is treated
as paid under a nonaccountable plan and must be included as income in box 1 of your Form W-2.

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real
Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970
Don't include in income any moving expense payment you
received under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and
Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. These
Publication 521 (2017)

payments are made to persons displaced from their
homes, businesses, or farms by federal projects.

Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
Your employer must withhold income, social security, and
Medicare taxes from reimbursements and allowances
paid to you that are included in your income. See Reimbursements included in income, later.
Reimbursements excluded from income. Your employer shouldn't include in your wages reimbursements
paid under an accountable plan (explained earlier) for
moving expenses that you:
Could deduct if you had paid or incurred them, and
Didn't deduct in an earlier year.
These reimbursements are fringe benefits excludable
from your income as qualified moving expense reimbursements. Your employer should report these reimbursements on your Form W-2, box 12, with code P.
You can't claim a moving expense deduction for
expenses covered by reimbursements excluded
CAUTION from income (see Accountable Plans under Types
of Reimbursement Plans, earlier).

Expenses deducted in earlier year. If you receive a
reimbursement this year for moving expenses deducted in
an earlier year, and the reimbursement isn't included as
wages in box 1 of your Form W-2, you must include the reimbursement in income on Form 1040, line 21. Your employer should show the amount of your reimbursement in
box 12 of your Form W-2.
Reimbursements included in income. Your employer
must include in your income any reimbursements made
(or treated as made) under a nonaccountable plan, even
though they are for deductible moving expenses. See
Nonaccountable Plans under Types of Reimbursement
Plans, earlier. Your employer also must include in your
gross income as wages any reimbursements of, or payments for, nondeductible moving expenses. This includes
amounts your employer reimbursed you under an accountable plan (explained earlier) for meals, househunting
trips, and real estate expenses. It also includes reimbursements that exceed your deductible expenses and
that you don't return to your employer.
Reimbursement for deductible and nondeductible
expenses. If your employer reimburses you for both deductible and nondeductible moving expenses, your employer must determine the amount of the reimbursement
that isn't taxable and not subject to withholding. Your employer must treat any remaining amount as taxable wages
and withhold income, social security, and Medicare taxes.
Amount of income tax withheld. If the reimbursements
or allowances you receive are taxable, the amount of income tax your employer will withhold depends on several
factors. It depends in part on whether income tax is withheld from your regular wages, on whether the reimbursePublication 521 (2017)

ments and allowances are added to your regular wages,
and on any information you have given to your employer
on Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate.
Your employer can treat your reimbursements as supplemental wages and not include the reimbursements and
allowances in your regular wages. The employer can withhold income tax on supplemental wages at a flat rate
which may be different from your regular tax rate.
Estimated tax. If you must make estimated tax payments, you need to take into account any taxable reimbursements and deductible moving expenses in figuring
your estimated tax. For details about estimated taxes, see
Pub. 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.

How and When To Report
This section explains how and when to report your moving
expenses and any reimbursements or allowances you received for your move. For a quick overview, see Table 2.

Form 3903
Use Form 3903 to figure your moving expense deduction.
Use a separate Form 3903 for each move for which you
are deducting expenses.
Don't file Form 3903 if all of the following apply.
You moved to a location outside the United States in
an earlier year.
You are claiming only storage fees while you were
away from the United States.
Any amount your employer paid for the storage fees is
included as wages in box 1 of your Form W-2.
Instead, enter the storage fees (after the reduction for the
part that is allocable to excluded income) on Form 1040,
line 26, and enter “Storage” on the dotted line next to the
amount.
If you meet the special rules for members of the Armed
Forces, see How to complete Form 3903 for members of
the Armed Forces under Members of the Armed Forces,
later.
Completing Form 3903. Complete Worksheet 1 or the
Distance Test Worksheet in the instructions for Form 3903
to see whether you meet the distance test. If so, complete
lines 1 through 3 of the form using your actual expenses
(except, if you use your own car, you can figure expenses
based on the standard mileage rate, instead of actual
amounts for gas and oil). Enter on line 4 the total amount
of your moving expense reimbursement that was excluded from your wages. This excluded amount should be
identified on Form W-2, box 12, with code P.
Expenses greater than reimbursement. If line 3 is
more than line 4, subtract line 4 from line 3 and enter the
result on line 5 and on Form 1040, line 26. This is your
moving expense deduction.
Page 11

Table 2. Reporting Your Moving Expenses and Reimbursements
IF your Form W-2
shows...

AND you have...

THEN...

your reimbursement
moving expenses greater than
reported only in box 12 the amount in box 12
with code P

file Form 3903 showing all allowable expenses* and
reimbursements.

your reimbursement
moving expenses equal to the
reported only in box 12 amount in box 12
with code P

don't file Form 3903.

your reimbursement
divided between
box 12 and box 1

moving expenses greater than
the amount in box 12

file Form 3903 showing all allowable expenses,* but only the
reimbursements reported in box 12 of Form W-2.

your entire
reimbursement
reported as wages in
box 1

moving expenses

file Form 3903 showing all allowable expenses,* but don't show
any reimbursements.

no reimbursement

moving expenses

file Form 3903 showing all allowable expenses.*

* See Deductible Moving Expenses, earlier, for allowable expenses.

Expenses equal to or less than reimbursement. If
line 3 is equal to or less than line 4, you have no moving
expense deduction. Subtract line 3 from line 4 and, if the
result is more than zero, include it as income on Form
1040, line 7.
Where to deduct. Deduct your moving expenses on
Form 1040, line 26. The amount of moving expenses you
can deduct is shown on Form 3903, line 5.

You can't deduct moving expenses on Form
1040EZ or Form 1040A.

CAUTION

When To Deduct Expenses
You may have a choice of when to deduct your moving
expenses.
Expenses not reimbursed. If you weren't reimbursed,
deduct your moving expenses in the year you paid or incurred the expenses.
Example. In December 2016, your employer transferred you to another city in the United States, where you still
work. You are single and weren't reimbursed for your
moving expenses. In 2016, you paid to move your furniture and deducted these expenses on your 2016 tax return. In January 2017, you paid for travel to the new city.
You can deduct these additional expenses on your 2017
tax return.
Expenses reimbursed. If you are reimbursed for your
expenses and you use the cash method of accounting,
you can deduct your expenses either in the year you paid
them or in the year you received the reimbursement. If you
Page 12

use the cash method of accounting, you can choose to
deduct the expenses in the year you are reimbursed even
though you paid the expenses in a different year. See
Choosing when to deduct next.
If you deduct your expenses and you receive the reimbursement in a later year, you must include the reimbursement in your income on Form 1040, line 21.
Choosing when to deduct. If you use the cash
method of accounting, which is used by most individuals,
you can choose to deduct moving expenses in the year
your employer reimburses you if:
You paid the expenses in a year before the year of reimbursement, or
You paid the expenses in the year immediately after
the year of reimbursement but by the due date, including extensions, for filing your return for the reimbursement year.
How to make the choice. You choose to deduct moving expenses in the year you received reimbursement by
taking the deduction on your return, or amended return,
for that year.

CAUTION

You can't deduct any moving expenses for which
you received a reimbursement that wasn't included in your income.

Illustrated Example
Tom and Peggy are married and have two children. They
owned a home in Detroit where Tom worked. On February
7, 2017, Tom's employer told him that he would be transferred to San Diego as of April 13 that year. Peggy flew to
Publication 521 (2017)

San Diego on March 1 to look for a new home. She put a
down payment of $25,000 on a house being built and returned to Detroit on March 4. Tom and Peggy sold their
Detroit home for $1,500 less than they paid for it. They
contracted to have their personal effects moved to San
Diego on April 3. The family drove to San Diego where
they found that their new home wasn't finished. They
stayed in a nearby motel until the house was ready on
May 1. On April 13, Tom went to work in the San Diego
plant where he still works.
Their records for the move show:
1) Peggy's pre-move househunting
trip:
Travel and lodging . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2) Down payment on San Diego
home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 449
75

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

4) Loss on sale of Detroit home (not
including real estate commission)
5) Amount paid for moving personal
effects (furniture, other household
goods, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . .

524

25,000
3,500
1,500

8,000

$ 374
180
320

874

7) Cost of temporary living
expenses in San Diego:
Motel rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$1,450
2,280

3,730

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$43,128

Tom was reimbursed $10,753 under an accountable
plan. His employer gave him the following breakdown of
the reimbursement that was allowed under the employer's
plan.
Moving personal effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Travel (and lodging) to San Diego . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Travel (and lodging) for househunting trip . . . . . . . .
Lodging for temporary quarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Loss on sale of home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$ 6,800
554
449
1,450
1,500

Total reimbursement

$10,753

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The employer included this reimbursement on Tom's
Form W-2 for the year. The reimbursement of allowable
expenses, $7,354 for moving household goods and travel
to San Diego, was included in box 12 of Form W-2. His
employer identified this amount with code P.
The employer included the balance, $3,399 reimbursement of nonallowable expenses, in box 1 of Form W-2
with Tom's other wages. Tom must include this amount on
Form 1040, line 7. The employer withholds taxes from the
$3,399, as discussed under Reimbursement for
Publication 521 (2017)

Item 5 — moving personal effects (line 1)

$8,000

. . . . . . . . .

Item 6 — driving to San Diego ($374 + $180)
(line 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minus: Reimbursement included in box 12
of Form W-2 (line 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6) Expenses of driving to San Diego:
Mileage (Start 14,278;
End 16,478)
2,200 miles at 17 cents a mile . . . .
Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total .

To figure his tax deduction for moving expenses, Tom
enters the following amounts on Form 3903.

Tax deduction for moving expenses (line 5)

554

. . . . . . .

Total tax deductible moving expenses (line 3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3) Real estate commission paid on
sale of Detroit home . . . . . . . .

deductible and nondeductible expenses under Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, earlier. Also, Tom's employer
could have given him a separate Form W-2 for his moving
expense reimbursement.

. . . . . .

$8,554

. . . . . . . .

7,354
$1,200

. . . . . . . .

Tom's Form 3903 is shown later. He also enters his deduction, $1,200, on Form 1040, line 26.
Nondeductible expenses. Of the $43,128 expenses
that Tom and Peggy incurred, the following items totaling
$34,574 ($43,128 – $8,554) can't be deducted.
Item 1 — pre-move househunting expenses of $524.
Item 2 — the $25,000 down payment on the San
Diego home. If any part of it were for payment of deductible taxes or interest on the mortgage on the
house, that part would be deductible as an itemized
deduction.
Item 3 — the $3,500 real estate commission paid on
the sale of the Detroit home. The commission is used
to figure the gain or loss on the sale.
Item 4 — the $1,500 loss on the sale of the Detroit
home.
Item 6 — the $320 expense for meals while driving to
San Diego. (However, the lodging and car expenses
are deductible.)
Item 7 — temporary living expenses of $3,730.

Members of the Armed Forces
If you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty
and you move because of a permanent change of station,
you don't have to meet the distance and time tests, discussed earlier. You can deduct your unreimbursed moving expenses.
A permanent change of station includes:
A move from your home to your first post of active
duty,
A move from one permanent post of duty to another,
and
A move from your last post of duty to your home or to
a nearer point in the United States. The move must
occur within 1 year of ending your active duty or within
the period allowed under the Joint Travel Regulations.
Page 13

Form

3903

Moving Expenses
▶

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service (99)

OMB No. 1545-0074

2017

Go to www.irs.gov/Form3903 for the latest information.
▶ Attach to Form 1040 or Form 1040NR.

Attachment
Sequence No. 170
Your social security number

Name(s) shown on return

Tom and Peggy Smith
Before you begin:

1
2

325-00-6437

✓ See the Distance Test and Time Test in the instructions to find out if you can deduct your moving
expenses.
✓ See Members of the Armed Forces in the instructions, if applicable.

Transportation and storage of household goods and personal effects (see instructions) . . .
Travel (including lodging) from your old home to your new home (see instructions). Do not
include the cost of meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8,000

554

Add lines 1 and 2

8,554

Enter the total amount your employer paid you for the expenses listed on lines 1 and 2 that is
not included in box 1 of your Form W-2 (wages). This amount should be shown in box 12 of your
Form W-2 with code P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7,354

Is line 3 more than line 4?
No.

You cannot deduct your moving expenses. If line 3 is less than line 4, subtract line 3
from line 4 and include the result on Form 1040, line 7, or Form 1040NR, line 8.

√ Yes. Subtract line 4 from line 3. Enter the result here and on Form 1040, line 26, or Form

1040NR, line 26. This is your moving expense deduction .
For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see your tax return instructions.

Spouse and dependents. If a member of the Armed
Forces dies, is imprisoned, or deserts, a permanent
change of station for the spouse or dependent includes a
move to:
The place of enlistment;
The member's, spouse's, or dependent's home of record; or
A nearer point in the United States.
If the military moves you, your spouse, and dependents, to or from separate locations, the moves are treated
as a single move to your new main job location.
Services or reimbursements provided by government. Don't include in income the value of moving and
storage services provided by the government because of
a permanent change of station. In general, if the total reimbursements or allowances you receive from the government because of the move are more than your actual
moving expenses, the government must include the excess in your wages on Form W-2. However, the excess
portion of a dislocation allowance, a temporary lodging allowance, a temporary lodging expense, or a move-in
housing allowance isn't included in income and shouldn't
be included in box 1 of Form W-2.
If your reimbursements or allowances are less than
your actual moving expenses, don't include the reimbursements or allowances in income. You can deduct the
expenses that are more than your reimbursements. See
Deductible Moving Expenses, earlier.

Page 14

Cat. No. 12490K

1,200

Form 3903 (2017)

How to complete Form 3903 for members of the
Armed Forces. Take the following steps.
1. Complete lines 1 through 3 of the form, using your actual expenses. Don't include any expenses for moving
services provided by the government. Also, don't include any expenses that were reimbursed by an allowance you don't have to include in your income.
2. Enter on line 4 the total reimbursements and allowances you received from the government for the expenses claimed on lines 1 and 2. Don't include the value
of moving or storage services provided by the government. Also, don't include any part of a dislocation allowance, a temporary lodging allowance, a temporary
lodging expense, or a move-in housing allowance.
3. Complete line 5. If line 3 is more than line 4, subtract
line 4 from line 3 and enter the result on line 5 and on
Form 1040, line 26. This is your moving expense deduction. If line 3 is equal to or less than line 4, you
don't have a moving expense deduction. Subtract
line 3 from line 4 and, if the result is more than zero,
enter it on Form 1040, line 7.
If the military moves you, your spouse, and dependents,
to or from different locations, treat these moves as a single move.

Don't deduct any expenses for moving or storage
services provided by the government.

CAUTION

Publication 521 (2017)

How To Get Tax Help
If you have questions about a tax issue, need help preparing your tax return, or want to download free publications,
forms, or instructions, go to IRS.gov and find resources
that can help you right away.
Preparing and filing your tax return. Find free options
to prepare and file your return on IRS.gov or in your local
community if you qualify.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program
offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000
or less, persons with disabilities, and limited-English-speaking taxpayers who need help preparing their
own tax returns. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly
those who are 60 years of age and older. TCE volunteers
specialize in answering questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors.
You can go to IRS.gov to see your options for preparing
and filing your return which include the following.
Free File. Go to IRS.gov/FreeFile. See if you qualify
to use brand-name software to prepare and e-file your
federal tax return for free.
VITA. Go to IRS.gov/Vita, download the free IRS2Go
app, or call 1-800-906-9887 to find the nearest VITA
location for free tax preparation.
TCE. Go to IRS.gov/TCE, download the free IRS2Go
app, or call 1-888-227-7669 to find the nearest TCE
location for free tax preparation.
Getting answers to your tax questions. On
IRS.gov get answers to your tax questions anytime, anywhere.
Go to IRS.gov/Help or IRS.gov/LetUsHelp pages for a
variety of tools that will help you get answers to some
of the most common tax questions.

an order and have forms mailed to you within 10 business
days.
Access your online account (Individual taxpayers
only). Go to IRS.gov/Account to securely access information about your federal tax account.
View the amount you owe, pay online or set up an online payment agreement.
Access your tax records online.
Review the past 18 months of your payment history.
Go to IRS.gov/SecureAccess to review the required
identity authentication process.
Using direct deposit. The fastest way to receive a tax
refund is to combine direct deposit and IRS e-file. Direct
deposit securely and electronically transfers your refund
directly into your financial account. Eight in 10 taxpayers
use direct deposit to receive their refund. IRS issues more
than 90% of refunds in less than 21 days.
Delayed refund for returns claiming certain credits.
Due to changes in the law, the IRS can’t issue refunds before mid-February 2018, for returns that properly claimed
the earned income credit (EIC) or the additional child tax
credit (ACTC). This applies to the entire refund, not just
the portion associated with these credits.
Getting a transcript or copy of a return. The quickest
way to get a copy of your tax transcript is to go to IRS.gov/
Transcripts. Click on either "Get Transcript Online" or "Get
Transcript by Mail" to order a copy of your transcript. If
you prefer, you can:
Order your transcript by calling 1-800-908-9946.
Mail Form 4506-T or Form 4506T-EZ (both available
on IRS.gov).
Using online tools to help prepare your return. Go to
IRS.gov/Tools for the following.

Go to IRS.gov/ITA for the Interactive Tax Assistant, a
tool that will ask you questions on a number of tax law
topics and provide answers. You can print the entire
interview and the final response for your records.

The Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant (IRS.gov/
EIC) determines if you’re eligible for the EIC.

Go to IRS.gov/Pub17 to get Pub. 17, Your Federal Income Tax for Individuals, which features details on
tax-saving opportunities, 2017 tax changes, and thousands of interactive links to help you find answers to
your questions. View it online in HTML, as a PDF, or
download it to your mobile device as an eBook.

The IRS Withholding Calculator (IRS.gov/W4App) estimates the amount you should have withheld from
your paycheck for federal income tax purposes.

You may also be able to access tax law information in
your electronic filing software.
Getting tax forms and publications. Go to IRS.gov/
Forms to view, download, or print all of the forms and publications you may need. You can also download and view
popular tax publications and instructions (including the
1040 instructions) on mobile devices as an eBook at no
charge. Or, you can go to IRS.gov/OrderForms to place
Publication 521 (2017)

The Online EIN Application (IRS.gov/EIN) helps you
get an employer identification number.

The First Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up
(IRS.gov/HomeBuyer) tool provides information on
your repayments and account balance.
The Sales Tax Deduction Calculator (IRS.gov/
SalesTax) figures the amount you can claim if you
itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040),
choose not to claim state and local income taxes, and
you didn’t save your receipts showing the sales tax
you paid.

Page 15

Resolving tax-related identity theft issues.
The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by
email or telephone to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media
channels.
Go to IRS.gov/IDProtection for information and videos.
If your SSN has been lost or stolen or you suspect
you’re a victim of tax-related identity theft, visit
IRS.gov/ID to learn what steps you should take.
Checking on the status of your refund.
Go to IRS.gov/Refunds.
Due to changes in the law, the IRS can’t issue refunds
before mid-February 2018, for returns that properly
claimed the EIC or the ACTC. This applies to the entire refund, not just the portion associated with these
credits.
Download the official IRS2Go app to your mobile device to check your refund status.
Call the automated refund hotline at 1-800-829-1954.
Making a tax payment. The IRS uses the latest encryption technology to ensure your electronic payments are
safe and secure. You can make electronic payments online, by phone, and from a mobile device using the
IRS2Go app. Paying electronically is quick, easy, and
faster than mailing in a check or money order. Go to
IRS.gov/Payments to make a payment using any of the
following options.
IRS Direct Pay: Pay your individual tax bill or estimated tax payment directly from your checking or savings account at no cost to you.
Debit or credit card: Choose an approved payment
processor to pay online, by phone, and by mobile device.
Electronic Funds Withdrawal: Offered only when filing your federal taxes using tax preparation software
or through a tax professional.
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System: Best option for businesses. Enrollment is required.
Check or money order: Mail your payment to the address listed on the notice or instructions.
Cash: You may be able to pay your taxes with cash at
a participating retail store.
What if I can’t pay now? Go to IRS.gov/Payments for
more information about your options.
Apply for an online payment agreement (IRS.gov/
OPA) to meet your tax obligation in monthly installments if you can’t pay your taxes in full today. Once
you complete the online process, you will receive immediate notification of whether your agreement has
been approved.
Page 16

Use the Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier (IRS.gov/
OIC) to see if you can settle your tax debt for less than
the full amount you owe.
Checking the status of an amended return. Go to
IRS.gov/WMAR to track the status of Form 1040X amended returns. Please note that it can take up to 3 weeks
from the date you mailed your amended return for it to
show up in our system and processing it can take up to 16
weeks.
Understanding an IRS notice or letter. Go to IRS.gov/
Notices to find additional information about responding to
an IRS notice or letter.
Contacting your local IRS office. Keep in mind, many
questions can be answered on IRS.gov without visiting an
IRS Tax Assistance Center (TAC). Go to IRS.gov/
LetUsHelp for the topics people ask about most. If you still
need help, IRS TACs provide tax help when a tax issue
can’t be handled online or by phone. All TACs now provide service by appointment so you’ll know in advance
that you can get the service you need without long wait
times. Before you visit, go to IRS.gov/TACLocator to find
the nearest TAC, check hours, available services, and appointment options. Or, on the IRS2Go app, under the Stay
Connected tab, choose the Contact Us option and click on
“Local Offices.”
Watching IRS videos. The IRS Video portal
(IRSvideos.gov) contains video and audio presentations
for individuals, small businesses, and tax professionals.
Getting tax information in other languages. For taxpayers whose native language isn’t English, we have the
following resources available. Taxpayers can find information on IRS.gov in the following languages.
Spanish (IRS.gov/Spanish).
Chinese (IRS.gov/Chinese).
Vietnamese (IRS.gov/Vietnamese).
Korean (IRS.gov/Korean).
Russian (IRS.gov/Russian).
The IRS TACs provide over-the-phone interpreter service in over 170 languages, and the service is available
free to taxpayers.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service Is
Here To Help You
What is the Taxpayer Advocate Service?
The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independ
ent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers and
protects taxpayer rights. Our job is to ensure that every
taxpayer is treated fairly and that you know and understand your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Publication 521 (2017)

What Can the Taxpayer Advocate Service
Do For You?
We can help you resolve problems that you can’t resolve
with the IRS. And our service is free. If you qualify for our
assistance, you will be assigned to one advocate who will
work with you throughout the process and will do everything possible to resolve your issue. TAS can help you if:

Toolkit at TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov can help you understand what these rights mean to you and how they apply.
These are your rights. Know them. Use them.

How Else Does the Taxpayer Advocate
Service Help Taxpayers?

Your problem is causing financial difficulty for you,
your family, or your business,

TAS works to resolve large-scale problems that affect
many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues,
please report it to us at IRS.gov/SAMS.

You face (or your business is facing) an immediate
threat of adverse action, or

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics

You’ve tried repeatedly to contact the IRS but no one
has responded, or the IRS hasn’t responded by the
date promised.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) are independent
from the IRS. LITCs represent individuals whose income
is below a certain level and need to resolve tax problems
with the IRS, such as audits, appeals, and tax collection
disputes. In addition, clinics can provide information about
taxpayer rights and responsibilities in different languages
for individuals who speak English as a second language.
Services are offered for free or a small fee. To find a clinic
near you, visit TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov/LITCmap or
see IRS Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
List.

How Can You Reach Us?
We have offices in every state, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico. Your local advocate’s number is in your
local directory and at TaxpayerAdvocate.IRS.gov/
Contact-Us. You can also call us at 1-877-777-4778.

How Can You Learn About Your Taxpayer
Rights?
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights describes 10 basic rights that
all taxpayers have when dealing with the IRS. Our Tax

Index

To help us develop a more useful index, please let us know if you have ideas for index entries.
See “Comments and Suggestions” in the “Introduction” for the ways you can reach us.

Absence, temporary 5, 6
Accountable plans 9
Address, change of 1
Adequate accounting 9
Armed Forces 2, 13
Distance test, special rule 4
Form 3903, how to complete 14
Services or reimbursements
provided by government 14
Spouse and dependents 14
Assistance (See Tax help)

Change of address 1
Closely related in place 3
Closely related in time 2

Deductible moving expenses 7–9
Household goods 8
Moving to and from storage 9
Member of your household 8
Moves in U.S. 8
Moves outside U.S. 8

Publication 521 (2017)

Moving expenses allocable to
excluded foreign income 9
Personal effects 8
Moving to and from storage 9
Reasonable expenses 7
Storage expenses 8, 9
Travel by car 8
Travel expenses 8
Distance test 3
Armed Forces, special rule 4
First job 4
Illustration of (Figure A) 3
Main job location 4
Return to full-time work 4
Worksheet 1 3

Employees:
Time test for 4
Estimated tax 11
Excess reimbursements 10
Excluded foreign income:
Moving expenses allocable to 9

Figures (See Tables and figures)

First job 4
Form 1040:
Moving expense deduction 12
Form 3903:
Armed Forces members, how to
complete 14
Completing form 11
Moving expense deduction
calculation 11
Form W-2:
Reimbursements 10, 11
Government provided for Armed
Forces members 14
Form W-4:
Withholding allowance 11
Full-time work, defined 6

Home, defined 3
Household goods 8
Moving to and from storage 9

Identity theft 16
Important reminders 1
Page 17

Excluded from income 11
Included in income 11
Nonaccountable plans 10
Joint returns 6
Nondeductible expenses 10, 11
Reasonable period of time 10
M
Reporting moving expenses and
Main job location:
reimbursements (Table 2) 11
Defined 4
Types of plans 9
More than one job 4
Reporting expenses 11
Union members 4
Expenses equal to or less than
Member of household 8
reimbursement 12
Members of Armed
Expenses greater than
Forces (See Armed Forces)
reimbursement 11
Mileage rate 1
Form 3903, deduction
Missing children, photographs of 1
calculation 11
Moves:
Moving expenses and
In U.S. 8
reimbursements (Table 2) 11
Outside U.S. 8
Retirees who move to U.S. 2, 3
To and from storage 9
Permanently retired, defined 7
Moving expenses 2, 7
Return to full-time work 4
(See also Who can deduct)
(See also Deductible moving
S
expenses)
Seasonal trade or business 6
Seasonal work 5
N
Self-employed persons:
Nonaccountable plans 10
Time test:
Nondeductible expenses 9
Table 1 4
Reimbursements of 10, 11
Spouse of Armed Forces
member 14
Standard mileage rate 1
P
Storage expenses 8, 9
Permanently retired, defined 7
Survivors who move to U.S. 2, 3, 7
Personal effects 8
When move begins 7
Moving to and from storage 9
Publications (See Tax help)

Reasonable expenses 7
Reasonable period of time 10
Reimbursements 9–11
Accountable plans 9
Adequate accounting 9
Armed Forces members 14
Estimated tax 11
Excess 10

Page 18

Tables and figures:
Distance test 3
Nonmilitary move within U.S., can
you deduct expenses (Figure
B) 5
Reporting moving expenses and
reimbursements (Table 2) 11
Time test, satisfying for employees
and self-employed persons
(Table 1) 4

Tax help 15
Temporary absence 5, 6
Time test 4
Employees 4
Exceptions to 6
Full-time work 6
Joint return 6
Not yet met 6
Satisfying for employees and
self-employed persons
(Table 1) 4
Seasonal trade or business 6
Seasonal work 5
Self-employed persons 5, 6
Temporary absence from work 5, 6
Travel by car 8
Travel expenses 8

Uniform Relocation Assistance and
Real Property Acquisition
Policies Act of 1970 10
Unions:
Main job location of member 4

When to deduct expenses 12, 13
Choosing when to deduct 12
Expenses not reimbursed 12
Expenses reimbursed 12
How to make choice 12
Who can deduct 2–7
Armed Forces, members of 2
Distance test 3
Nonmilitary move within U.S.
(Figure B) 5
Related to start of work 2
Retirees who move to U.S. 2, 3, 7
Survivors who move to U.S. 2, 3, 7
Time test 4
Withholding 11
Worksheet:
Distance test (Worksheet 1) 3

Publication 521 (2017)

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