“Write-off” just means a work cost that comes off your income before tax is figured. On a 1099, every real work cost lowers three taxes at once: self-employment tax, federal income tax and state income tax. For most techs, each $100 of work cost saves somewhere around $25 to $30 in tax.
The test the IRS uses is simple: was it a normal and needed cost for doing the work? Here’s what that covers for cable, fiber, satellite, smart home, security and other field techs.
Tools and test gear
- Hand tools: drills, drivers, bits, crimpers, strippers, compression tools, punch-down tools, fish tape, cable cutters
- Meters and test gear: signal meters, light meters and fiber testers, cable certifiers, toners, multimeters, Wi-Fi analyzers
- Ladders, ladder hooks, clamps and ratchet straps
- A ladder rack or toolbox bolted to the truck (if you use miles for the truck, save the receipt and ask your preparer; some count it on its own, some say the mileage rate covers it)
- Tool bags, belts, pouches, buckets, storage bins for the truck
- Batteries, chargers, inverters
- Replacement tools when one breaks or walks off a job
Expensive gear like a fiber splicer can sometimes be spread over several years instead of taken all at once. Your tax preparer decides how to handle that. Your job is keeping the receipt.
Supplies you buy yourself
- Connectors, fittings, splitters, jacks, wall plates, staples, clips, zip ties, tape, drill bits, anchors
- Cable, wire and jumpers you pay for out of pocket
- Sealant, caulk, silicone, cleaning supplies for fiber
Safety gear and work clothes
- Safety boots, gloves, hard hats, safety glasses, knee pads, harnesses, climbing gear
- High-visibility vests and jackets
- Company uniforms and shirts with the company logo
What doesn’t count: regular clothes, even if you only wear them to work. Jeans, plain T-shirts and hoodies you could wear anywhere don’t qualify. The rule is that the clothing has to be required for the job and not suitable for everyday wear.
Your truck or van
For most techs this is the biggest write-off of all. You can count the miles you drive for work: between job sites, to the warehouse to pick up equipment, to the supply house. For 2026 that’s 72.5 cents a mile January through June and 76 cents a mile July through December. 20,000 work miles at those rates is around $15,000 off your income.
Gas isn’t on this list on purpose. The mileage rate already covers gas, so don’t save gas receipts. Why.
Parking and tolls on work trips count on top of that. Work miles, the rates, and what the IRS wants to see.
Phone, tablet and service
- The work share of your phone bill. If you use the phone half for work (dispatch apps, calling customers, photos of installs), half the bill counts.
- A phone used only for work counts in full, along with its cost.
- Tablets, phone mounts, chargers, rugged cases
- Apps you pay for that you need for the work
Money the company takes out of your pay
This one gets missed constantly. A lot of 1099 install companies take deductions out of your pay: equipment chargebacks for lost or unreturned receivers and modems, truck or equipment rental, insurance, uniform fees, background checks, drug tests, fines for missed jobs or failed audits.
Check how your 1099 is filled in. Usually the 1099 shows the full amount before deductions, which means you’d pay tax on money you never actually got unless you count those deductions as work costs. Keep every pay statement that shows them. The app has a place to record these as purchases from that company.
Insurance, licenses and training
- General liability insurance and any insurance the company requires you to carry
- Business licenses and contractor licenses
- Certifications and training courses for the work (for example BICSI, fiber certifications, low-voltage licensing)
- Background checks and drug tests you pay for
Other things that count
- The work share of internet at home, if you do your paperwork and scheduling from home
- Tax preparation fees for the self-employed part of your return
- Bank fees on an account used only for work
- Travel costs (lodging and meals) when the work takes you away from home overnight, for example storm work or out-of-town builds
Things that come off your taxes somewhere else
These aren’t work costs, but they still lower your taxes as a 1099 worker:
- Health insurance you pay for yourself, if you aren’t eligible for a plan through a spouse’s job
- Retirement savings in a SEP IRA or solo 401(k)
- Half of your self-employment tax, which comes off automatically
What doesn’t count
- Driving from home to a regular, set place of work every day (commuting). How the commuting rule works for techs.
- Lunch on a normal work day
- Speeding and parking tickets, even on the job
- Regular clothes
- The personal share of anything you use for both work and personal life
The one rule that matters: keep the receipt
None of this helps if you can’t show it. Receipt paper fades in a truck in about a summer. Take a picture of the receipt when you buy the thing, while it’s still in your hand. What to keep and for how long.
Tech Tax Helper has a purchase button for every company you work for. Snap the receipt, type what it was and the total, and answer one question: only used for work? At tax time it all goes into one file for whoever does your return.
This is general information about U.S. federal taxes, not advice for your situation. If something here doesn't match your paperwork, ask a tax preparer.