Confirmed in the United States: IRS will investigate all taxpayers who have taken this action on their tax return.
In the midst of the 2025 tax season, the IRS is taking a series of measures to prevent fraud.
More information: Tax refund in the United States: the amount of money a taxpayer can receive in 2025
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will review and investigate in depth, with the intention of preventing fraud, all those taxpayers who have taken a specific action in their tax return for the year 2025.
As mentioned by the IRS, individuals who have misused the so-called "home office" deduction will be scrutinized.
This concept is commonly used by individuals who work from home or use their home for business or other professional activities. In order to qualify for the tax deduction under this term, it is necessary that the location be used regularly and exclusively for commercial purposes such as the main place of business, meetings with clients or patients, or as a separate structure.
To calculate this deduction, the IRS establishes two methods:
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Simplified: allows a deduction of $5 per square foot of the portion of the home used for business up to 300 square feet, equivalent to $1,500 per year.
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Regular: requires the taxpayer to calculate the percentage of the home dedicated to the business and apply that amount to the percentage of actual home expenses such as utilities, property taxes, and maintenance. For example, if the office occupies about 20% of the total area of the house, the same percentage of expenses for that space can be reduced.
The IRS scrutinizes these taxpayers
According to the IRS, this deduction method is often one of the most susceptible to fraud or alterations because many taxpayers tend to claim expenses that do not meet the specific requirements.
To take advantage of this tax deduction in the tax return, the IRS allows these types of expenses in 2025:
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Rent
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Property taxes
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Mortgage interest
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Insurance
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Casualty losses
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Utilities
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Depreciation
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Maintenance and repairs
Therefore, the IRS urges taxpayers to be accurate and honest regarding these tax deductions. Otherwise, there is a risk of the same agency conducting a thorough review of the tax return and potentially imposing fines or penalties for altering this concept.
One of the most common consequences is the elimination of tax refunds. In more severe cases, the IRS may also implement stricter measures such as seizing assets, among others.
*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence
