Call us overachievers, but Josh and I have completed our taxes already. We’re so early that the IRS won’t let us electronically file through TurboTax yet. It feels great to have my sales tax, and income tax is taken care of for 2016 THIS early in the new year.
I was able to complete my business income tax within an hour for a couple of reasons.
- I use Pixifi for all my client management and business needs. This means that all my expenses are imported and categorized
- I use MileIQ to track my mileage and use that information for taxes
What is MileIQ?
MileIQ is an app on your phone that tracks every drive you make. No more keeping a book in your vehicle or a running note on your phone with each destination for business. Gone are the days of forgetting quick errands, and missing out on those dedications. Before MileIQ, I kept a running note on my phone with what my total round trip mileage was for an errand, engagement session, wedding, or client meeting. This system only worked when I REMEMBERED to look at my mileage before leaving my driveway, and again after getting back home.
There HAD to be a better way to keep track of this business expense! I finally found my answer when attending Creative at Heart in March 2015. Imagine that, other creatives who struggled with the same issue I was having! Who woulda thought?! Natalie Franke introduced a room full of boss ladies to the app that would later speed up my tax prep by HOURS!
How to Use MileIQ
MileIQ is pretty simple to use! Here’s the step by step guide to getting you started for a stress-free tax prep with your mileage!
- Sign up for MileIQ here
- Download the app for your phone. MileIQ will text you the link for the download.
- Go for your first drive!
It’s that simple!
Once a week, you’ll receive an email to classify your drives. On your phone in the app, you’ll swipe each drive either right or left. Swiping left organizes drives for personal, whereas, swiping right is for business trips!
When it’s time to sit down to do your taxes, MileIQ will generate a spreadsheet for you with your total mileage driven for business.
Wam, bam, thank you, ma’am! Tracking mileage can be that easy!!
Investment for MileIQ
I’m sure now you’re thinking “all this sounds great, but my way of doing things is free, how much will MileIQ cost me?” MileIQ is actually one of the cheapest business tools I use! It’s $59.99 yearly, or $5.99 a month. If you want to give it a try to see if you like it, they have a free version that will track your first 40 drives a month.
I have some great news for you, though! If you sign up using this link, you’ll receive 20% off your first year!
This small investment is worth all the time you’ll save in your tax prep next year!
Are You Ready?
Are you ready to take back your life? Do you wish you didn’t have to spend days looking at your past year’s receipts, attempting to remember all your errands or client meetings? Looking back at your engagement sessions and weddings, thinking about location, and then pulling up google maps to track mileage? If you said yes to any of these questions, you need to give MileIQ a try!
Gone are the days of forgetting to write down mileage, forgetting a business errand, and DAYS of tax prep every spring! Say hello to all your business drives collected, and to bigger tax dedications!
Sign up for MileIQ here and let the app do all the work for you!
If you found this blog post on MileIQ helpful, be sure to check out more education for Business Creatives, here!
