Are Your Expenses "Average?"

Column by Barbara Weltman

The IRS's Statistics of Income Bulletin describes the percentage of total deductions for each type of expense for non–farm sole proprietors (for 2001, the most recent year for which statistics are available). See how you compare with the averages. Here are the largest expenses (as a percentage of total deductions):

• Salary and wages — 14.6%
• Car and truck expenses — 10.9%
• Rent on business property, machinery and equipment — 7.7%
• Depreciation — 7.7%
• Supplies — 5.3%
• Utilities — 4.7%
• Taxes paid — 3.3%
• Insurance — 3.3%
• Commissions — 2.8%
• Repairs — 2.8%

Find more statistics

For additional statistics on sole proprietorship returns, visit the IRS web site.

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