Is Lawn Care Tax Deductible?

Lawn care can sometimes be expensive. Gardening expenses can easily pile up, especially for home and business owners that have large outdoor areas. Therefore, it’s natural for property owners to consider whether or not lawn care is tax deductible — just for that possibility to recoup the losses.

The short answer is, no, lawn care is not tax deductible. The IRS considers this type of activity as a personal expense. However, there are a few situations where lawn care can become a tax-deductible expense. MowTown Blades breaks down these scenarios in this article to help you save on tax liabilities.

When Lawn Care Can Be Tax Deductible

Tax deductibles are any type of expense that you can reduce from your gross income. With the deduction, your taxable income decreases. However, the IRS won’t accept just any expense. The agency has a list of what’s considered tax-deductible, most of which are business expenses. Unfortunately, the IRS considers lawn care to be a personal expense.

Nevertheless, there are scenarios where lawn care can become an expense. This means that you can include them as deductibles. Here are a few specific instances.

Operating a Home-Based Business

For those who operate a home-based business, you may consider lawn care as a deductible. This perk applies to those who use their lawn as part of their business. One example is a home-based worker who regularly meets clients at their home office. The worker can consider the lawn as a part of the presentation — meant to impress clients or give a good first impression. Given that, this portion of your property can be a part of home office deductions.

The IRS does have strict rules for this type of deduction. Due to these regulations, only gardening expenses on the part of your lawn used for business can be tax deductible. The rest of your outdoor space won’t qualify.

The Lawn Is Useful for Business Operations

You can consider lawn care and maintenance as deductibles if they’re integral to your business. A few examples are those who hold parties, events, or demonstrations in their gardens. Since garden upkeep is essential to maintain a certain aesthetic, the IRS can recognize the expenses as a valid deduction.

Lawns becoming a part of business operations is not uncommon. Those in landscaping, events management, and even real estate use lawns to conduct their business or showcase their services. As such, keeping the area in a pristine state becomes a critical component of their business.

The Person Who Mowed the Lawn Is an Employee for the (Home-Based) Business

This scenario turns gardening expenses into employee salary tax deductibles. If you employ someone to take care of your lawn and that employee’s duties have something to do with your business, then their wages could be deductible as part of your business expenses.

The IRS requires that this worker must be an official employee. Plus, their work must be directly related to your business operations. Thus, leveraging this lawn care tax deductible is much harder to pull off. Still, this scenario is worth considering if you run a business where employees perform lawn maintenance on your property.

Tax Deductible Lawn Care Costs

Lawn care is a broad term. In effect, the IRS will require you to be more specific about your tax deductibles. Here are a few specific examples you may include.

Weed Removal Costs

If your lawn needs to be in pristine condition all the time, then weed removal becomes a recurring expense. Unfortunately, the costs can easily increase as you employ modern techniques or methods for a more sustainable weed removal process.

Edging and Trimming Expenses

Another common expense in lawn care is edging and trimming. These costs are necessary for businesses that want to maintain a clean and orderly look on their lawns. Regular edging and trimming keep your outdoor spaces presentable and attractive to potential clients.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing lawns is a common and critical practice to keep the garden healthy and green. From buying the fertilizer to the tools used for application, the practice does require a lot of expense. For businesses that depend on the appearance of their lawn, fertilizing costs may become an allowable tax deductible.

Aeration

Aeration is the practice of incorporating air into the soil. This practice prevents soil compaction and allows moisture and nutrients to soak easily into the ground. However, the equipment and services involved in soil aeration can be expensive. If aeration is a critical part of your business operations, then the IRS can consider the expense as tax deductible.

Landscaping

If you’re making larger-scale improvements or landscaping changes to your lawn that are directly tied to business operations, you may be able to deduct these expenses.

Tools

For equipment used in lawn care, such as mowers and high-lift mower blades, you can consider these as expenses. You only need to prove that these tools are necessary for maintaining a lawn that’s integral to your business. The IRS may consider these purchases as deductibles.

Wrapping Up: Gardening Expenses as Tax Deductibles

There are only a few scenarios where the IRS allows you to consider lawn care expenses as tax deductibles. As a general rule, as long as your lawn care expenses are integral to business operations, then you may include them in your IRS form. On account of the complexity, the best practice is to work with your accountant or a tax professional to be more confident with your additions.

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