Parking Fee @ customer; Std Mileage method; Deduct?

[Another Poster]

I am self-employed.

I paid some fees to park at a customer premises (large medical
center). I will be using the standard mileage method for car expenses.

Are the parking fees deductible as a regular business expense, or are
they always connected to the vehicle deduction and deductible only it
I use actual expenses reporting? They were a necessary cost of doing
business with this customer (if you park at their site, you pay a fee,
no exceptions). The customer did not reimburse me for the fees.

Thanks,

 

[Bill Brown]

I am self-employed.

I paid some fees to park at a customer premises (large medical
center). I will be using the standard mileage method for car expenses.

Are the parking fees deductible as a regular business expense, or are
they always connected to the vehicle deduction and deductible only it
I use actual expenses reporting? They were a necessary cost of doing
business with this customer (if you park at their site, you pay a fee,
no exceptions). The customer did not reimburse me for the fees.

The standard mileage rate does NOT include parking and tolls.
Therefore, business related expenditures of those sorts are deducted
in addition to mileage.