How to Write Off Your Car or Truck for Business It's tax season -- time to ponder that annual conundrum: How much of my vehicle usage can I claim as a business expense?

Driver's Seat: Jay Soled, a professor of accounting and information systems at Rutgers University, offers tips on claiming vehicle usage as a business expense.

Photo© Natalie Brasington

Q: It's tax season--time to ponder that annual conundrum: How much of my vehicle usage can I claim as a business expense?

A: The IRS code governing vehicle use runs roughly the length of "Infinite Jest." But it doesn't have to be that complicated, says Jay Soled, a professor of accounting and information systems at Rutgers University, who has testified before Congress on tax compliance issues. "The problem is the rules are a morass," Soled says.