Can I Deduct My Cell Phone and Internet Bill If I'm Self-Employed?

Quick answer: If you're self-employed, you can deduct the share of your cell phone and home internet you use for business. If your phone is used 50% for business and the bill is $100 a month, you deduct $50 a month. A second phone or line used only for business is 100% deductible. A written estimate of business use, backed by a sample month, supports your percentage.

Phone and internet at a glance

• What qualifies: Cell service, business lines, home internet, phone hardware
• Limit or percentage: Business-use percentage; 100% for business-only lines
• Records to keep: 12 monthly bills, business-use estimate, sample usage log

What counts

• Business share of your cell phone plan
• A separate business line or second phone (100%)
• Business share of home internet
• Business share of a phone you bought
• Hotspots, VoIP services and business phone apps

What doesn't count

• The personal share of your service
• Family lines on your plan used only by family
• The basic charge for the first landline into your home (an IRS rule), though business long-distance calls on it count

How to figure your business-use percentage

Pick a typical month and review your call log, texts and data use. Count what was business: client calls, scheduling, email, payment apps, social posts for the business. Divide business use by total use. Write down how you got the number and keep it with your bills.

How to gather your phone and internet records

1. Download 12 monthly bills for phone and internet.
2. Pick a sample month and estimate business use as described above.
3. Separate family lines on a shared plan.
4. Save receipts for any phone purchased in 2026.

How to organize and bring your data to Hub City Tax Pros

1. Write yearly totals for phone and internet on one page.
2. Add your business-use percentage for each and how you figured it.
3. Bring the page and bills to our Lubbock office.

Common mistakes

• Claiming 100% on a personal phone
• Including family lines
• No written support for the percentage

Frequently asked questions

Can I write off my phone bill if I'm self-employed?

Yes, the business-use share.

Can I deduct my home internet?

Yes, the share used for business.

Is a second phone for business fully deductible?

Yes, if it's used only for business.

Bring your records to Hub City Tax Pros

Bring your phone and internet bills to Hub City Tax Pros. Walk in or call (806) 810-5798. Our CPAs and IRS Enrolled Agents at 4414 82nd St., Suite 214, Lubbock, TX 79424 (The Village Shopping Center) will review your numbers, make sure every eligible dollar counts, and file your 1040 with transparent pricing. Locally owned in Lubbock, not a franchise. No appointment needed during tax season. Real tax pros. Real prices. Right here on 82nd.

This article is general information for tax year 2026, not tax advice for your situation. Tax rules change; bring your records in and we'll apply the rules that fit you.