“Can I write that off?” may be the most popular tax question on the internet—and one of the least complete.

In this episode of MKE Tax Dad, Steve explains what a business deduction actually does, what makes an expense ordinary and necessary, and why a receipt alone does not prove that something belongs on a tax return.

We look at some of the most common write-off questions—including meals, clothing, vehicles, home offices, and year-end equipment purchases—before sorting out another source of confusion: what an LLC does, what it does not do, and why an LLC is not the same thing as an S corporation.

Steve also takes on tax advice he wishes people would stop taking, from “buy something before December 31” to “put your kids on payroll” to the persistent myth that forming an LLC somehow makes personal expenses deductible.

Plus, in Ask Your Tax Dad:

- Can I deduct clothes I bought for client meetings?

- Does an LLC protect me personally and give me more deductions?

- Should I buy equipment now just to get the write-off?

The short version: buy what the business needs, keep business and personal activity separate, document the purpose, and do the math before following a viral tax tip.

Have a question for Ask Your Tax Dad? Email steve@mketax.com or send a message on Instagram @mketaxdad.

Taxes. Coffee. Dad jokes. Actual answers.

*MKE Tax Dad provides general tax education and entertainment, not individualized tax or legal advice. Federal, state, and local rules may differ and may change.