- 55 - support of deductions for the other line. Moreover, the records do not distinguish whether the telephone charges were for local or long distance service. The magnitude of the telephone expenses petitioner seeks to deduct suggests to us that significant long-distance charges are included in the figure. The documentation proferred by petitioner generally does not indicate what portion of the charges was for long-distance, nor has she proven a business purpose for significant long-distance charges. However, we are persuaded that petitioner’s escort business almost certainly involved the use of local telephone service to arrange appointments. In these circumstances, we allow a deduction of $600 for local telephone expenses at the locations where she conducted her escort business during 1989. See Cohan v. Commissioner, supra. The deduction of other claimed expenses for 1989 requires closer examination. The allowance of travel and entertainment business deductions described in section 274 are subject to strict rules of substantiation. Section 274(d) provides that, unless the taxpayer complies with these rules, no deductions shall be allowed with respect to “any traveling expense (including meals and lodging away from home),” or “for any item with respect to an activity which is of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment”. The rules require thePage: Previous 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 Next
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