How did you manage to write off for your expenses for tax purposes? I thought this was not possible for regular employees in the US (your profile says you're in the New York). I'd love to be able to do this.

It’s been awhile, so I can’t remember exactly how it worked (I’ve used an accountant for the last 30 years or so), but I was able to argue that it went to benefit my day job (which it actually did), and I mixed in a lot of stuff that directly benefited my day job (like taking my team out for a holiday dinner, on my personal expense, as the company didn’t do that kind of thing).

I wouldn’t do it without a decent accountant. In my experience, they always paid for themselves.

I don’t know your exact circumstances but it sounds like your “decent accountant” was helping you commit tax fraud.

Prior to TCJA there were a wider range of allowed deductions for W2 workers.

You would not be able to (legally) do that today

I believe that. It's been a very long time, since I declared anything like that. I think I remember my accountant telling me that I couldn't anymore, so I shrugged, and declared what I could. Also, I retired in 2017.

Thanks for not immediately going on the attack.

For programmers it wasn't that big of a deal. Maybe some electronics purchases were no longer deductible, or a little bit of software, etc. Home office could be sizeable.

Some other professional got royally screwed - e.g. a concert violinist can no longer deduct a $50,000 violin purchase if they're employed by an orchestra as a W2

Doubt it. Don't forget that they also have a stake in things. That's why we pay them.

That's why I say we should have accountants.

I'm always thrilled to have strangers on the Internet attack me, and even attack an accountant that they never even heard about before. Thanks!

Have a great day!

I didn't attack you, I'm sorry you took it that way.

Have a great day, or whichever passive aggressive sign-off you'd prefer!

I see, thank you for correcting me!