35 Tax Write-Offs for Freelance Designers

Whether you freelance as a graphic designer, UX designer, or web designer, we’ve compiled a detailed list of tax deductions for self-employed designers.

35 Tax Write-Offs for Freelance Designers

Working as a freelance designer can be a pretty sweet gig. You get to work on projects you care about, determine your schedule, be your own boss... the list of perks goes on.

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But filing your taxes can get a little more complicated when you’re self-employed, or even pursuing freelance design projects on the side. Of course, the CRA does allow you to deduct expenses you might incur to earn income from your business activities. This helps to lower your tax bill—just be sure to track your business expenses.

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Whether you’re new to design or are simply looking for ways to lower your tax bills, we’ve compiled a detailed list of tax deductions for freelance designers.

General expenses

While the scope of work can vary from project to project, below are general expenses all designers should keep track of throughout the year.

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Bank fees

It doesn't matter if it's the monthly service fee, ATM withdrawal fee, or credit card renewal fee. If you're paying a fee to the bank to operate your business, you can write it off.

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Employees and subcontractors

Whether you hired a team member full-time or work with a subcontractor on an as-needed basis, their salary and fees are tax deductible.

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Gear and equipment

Upgraded to the Shure SM7B or got the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro for your business? All of these count towards your deductions.

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Legal and professional services

You can deduct all costs associated with hiring professionals for your business. This includes accountants, lawyers, financial advisors, marketing agencies, production logistics, etc.

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Marketing and promotion

Website hosting, domain names, promotional swag, digital ads, and listing fees are some of the business marketing expenses that you can write off.

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Materials and supplies

You can claim the cost of any material used in the course of operating your business. This can include film rolls, design templates, and lens cleaning spray.

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Mobile phone bill

Discovery calls, responding to comments, and posting on social are examples of how you might be using your phone for work. If that's the case, deduct a portion of your phone bill.

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Office rent and lease

Prefer working from a studio or a coworking space? You can deduct all your office-related costs if you're not claiming your home-related expenses.

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Office supplies

You can deduct all items used in the general operation of your business. This includes sharpies, post-it notes, smoke sticks, printer ink, and staples.

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Payment processing fees

Invoiced a sponsor for ad placement? If they paid you with a credit card, you likely paid 2.9% + 30 cents processing fee. You can claim any such fees paid.

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Professional development

Enrolling in courses, joining mastermind groups, and listening to audiobooks are some examples of how you can grow as a creator—all of which you can write off.

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Shipping and postage

Whether you're shipping merch or mailing a thank you gift, you can deduct all shipping and postage expenses.

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Software and apps

Canva, Notion, Calendly, Simplecast, and Adobe Creative Cloud. These are just some of the tools and services you can write off as a business expense.

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Trade events and seminars

Attending an in-person conference or tuning into an online webinar for work? If so, you can expense the event tickets.

Stop guessing what you can write off.

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Home expenses

Typically, freelance designers can work from just about anywhere there is wifi. Heck, you might be reading this from an exotic island because you like piña coladas and gettin' caught in the rain.

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Of course, even if you’re on some exotic island right now, you can still deduct a portion of your home expenses if it’s where you do most of your work. Plus, your workspace doesn’t need to be a whole room; a dedicated desk is enough.

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Furniture and appliances

Whether it's a new office chair, stand-up desk, or a whiteboard, if you're getting stuff for your home office, be sure to claim it.

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Insurance

If you pay for renters or homeowner insurance, you can write off a portion of these costs as part of your home office.

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Internet

Like heat and water, the internet is a utility that helps you run your business. With this in mind, you can write off a portion of your internet bill as a business expense.

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Mortgage interest

If you own your home, you can deduct a portion of your mortgage interest, but not the principal, as a business expense.

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Property taxes

If you own your home, you pay property taxes. Thankfully, you can deduct a portion of the bill.

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Rent

Whether you rent an apartment or a house, you can claim a portion of the cost if you have a dedicated work area.

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Repairs and maintenance

You're likely using your home more if you work from home. This can cause things to break or updates to be made—all of which you can deduct a portion of.

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Utilities

You can’t work from home without basic utilities like heat, water, and electricity. Be sure to write off a portion of these expenses.

Vehicle expenses

You can deduct a portion of all vehicle expenses if you’re using your personal vehicle for work. This includes trips to arts and crafts stores, attending local networking events, and meeting prospective clients.

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Depreciation

Own a car? You can write off the annual depreciation of its value for business-related trips.

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Gas and fuel

While you can’t deduct any gas you used for personal transportation, you can claim the amount you used for business-related trips.

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Insurance

Unless you live in Virginia or New Hampshire, you'll need insurance before you drive your vehicle—which you can write off.

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License and registration

You can deduct a portion of your safety inspection, registration fees, and roadside assistance.

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Loan interest

Did you get a loan to buy a vehicle? You can deduct a portion of the interest on that loan as a business expense.

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Parking fees

Parking can be expensive in some place. Thankfully, you can write off those fees if they were for a business trip.

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Repairs and maintenance

Whether it's an oil change, an unexpected repair or a much-needed wash, you can deduct a portion of the maintenance cost if you use your vehicle for work.

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Tolls

If you have to take toll roads, bridges or tunnels for your business, remember to claim them as tax deductions.

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Business meeting expenses

Say you’re meeting a potential client to understand their needs and how you might be able to help them. Depending on where you work, you might meet them at a coffee shop or a coworking space. Regardless of where you meet your clients, you can claim the costs associated with these meetings as tax deductions.

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Business meals

Meeting someone for coffee or lunch to talk about work? You can write off 50% of all business meals, including tips and taxes.

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Transportation

Whether you're driving, using rideshare or taking public transport, you can write off the expenses if it was for work.

Business travel expenses

Every now and then, you get the opportunity to travel for work. This can include out-of-town conferences or visiting a site with a client, for example. Either way, you can write off almost all of the expenses associated with the trip if you’re traveling for work.

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Accommodations

Booked a hotel or Airbnb for your business trip? Any business-related accommodation is considered a tax deduction.

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Business travel

Trains, planes, and automobiles: if they helped you get from point A to point B during your business trip, you can write off any expenses such as train tickets, airfare, and car rental.

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Food and drinks

Yes, you can write off the meals you consumed on your business trip. However, the 50% rule still applies to business travel meals.