How the mileage deduction works

The mileage deduction is usually a gig driver's single biggest tax saver — and it only works if you have the log.

The basics

The IRS lets you deduct a flat rate for every business mile: $0.725 per mile in 2026. Drive 1,000 work miles, deduct $725. Drive 15,000, deduct $10,875. The deduction reduces your taxable income, not your tax bill directly.

What counts

Miles driven for work: to pickups, during deliveries, between gigs while you're online. Your commute from home to your starting area generally doesn't count.

What the IRS expects

A contemporaneous written record — dates, miles, and business purpose. That's exactly what GigReal's GPS log is. No log, no deduction if you're ever asked to prove it.

This is general information, not tax advice — for your specific situation, talk to a tax professional.