Deduct the cost of your camera

To deduct your camera, the link with your activity as a self-employed must be obvious.

Thinking of buying a nice Canon camera? A little expensive, yes – but so exciting 😉.

The rule is simple: in the event of a tax audit, you must be able to prove that you take photos as part of your self-employed activities.

Some cases are obvious: you are a photographer (and sell your photos), you are an artist (and need, for example, to scout places, get inspired), you are a healthcare professional (and take photos of your patients to share at seminars), no worries, you can deduct this purchase easily.

Some cases are less obvious, but possible nonetheless: do you take team photos? At your customer’s premises? On business trips? Do you use these photos in your marketing? On your website? Your LinkedIn profile? If so, then you can deduct the cost of buying a (nice) camera. Make the most of it.

The cost of the camera doesn’t really affect deductibility. However, if the tax authorities refuse, the impact will be as great as the amount initially deducted.

Do you also use your camera in your private life?

If you use your camera in your private life, it would be wise to deduct only part of it, the professional part.

This will make it easier to justify the expense in the event of a tax audit.

Don’t forget to deduct the purchase of lenses and all your photo accessories.

These are often an even greater source of expenditure than the cost of the camera itself. So be sure to deduct the following expenses:

• Lenses, which are often expensive
• Filters, which often break
• All accessories (tripod, shoulder strap, etc.)
• The software you use to process your photos (Adobe Lightroom, of course).