The Most Overlooked Write-Offs You Can Still Claim This Month

Year-end is where tax savings are won or lost—usually not because of major deductions, but because of the small, easy-to-miss write-offs that never get recorded, categorized, or claimed. These overlooked items add up quickly, and for many businesses, they’re the difference between overpaying the IRS and keeping thousands of dollars working inside the company.



This is exactly where Straight Talk CPAs excel. While most firms skim the surface, we dig into the places where deductions commonly hide—misclassified purchases, ignored reimbursements, unused credits, and expenses buried in the wrong accounts. The goal is simple: capture everything you’re legally entitled to before the year closes.

Here’s a strategic rundown of the write-offs still available this month—and why they often slip through the cracks.

1. Missed Equipment and Technology Write-Offs (Section 179 Eligible)

Many businesses upgrade hardware, machines, tools, or software throughout the year but never capture the full deduction.

Commonly missed items include:

• Laptops and tablets
  
• Office furniture
  
• Software renewals and cloud tools
  
• Workflow or automation equipment
  
• Mobile devices for business use

If these assets are placed in service before December 31, they may qualify for immediate expensing under Section 179.



Most businesses assume only “big” purchases count—but even smaller tools and devices often qualify.

Straight Talk CPAs reviews your asset purchases line by line to ensure nothing is overlooked.

2. Employee Reimbursements That Were Never Filed

This is one of the highest-impact oversights.

Employees pay for:

• Mileage
  
• Office supplies
  
• Training events
  
• Travel costs
  
• Client meals
  

But if reimbursements aren’t submitted, the business loses valid deductions.

Year-end is the perfect time to:

• Request missing receipts
  
• Clear outstanding reimbursements
  
• Update accountable-plan documentation



If you don’t tighten this now, you lose the deduction forever.

3. Home Office Expenses That Qualify—but Never Get Documented

Home office deductions are often ignored out of fear of complexity.

But when done correctly, they’re powerful:

• Internet
  
• Mobile phone
  
• Workspace percentage
  
• Utilities
  
• Office supplies



Even hybrid businesses qualify when there’s a dedicated workspace.

The key is documentation, not guesswork—something Straight Talk CPAs structures for audit-proof clarity.

4. Unclaimed Software and Subscription Deductions

Businesses pay for dozens of tools but forget to categorize them properly:

• CRMs
  
• Email marketing platforms
  
• Zoom/communication tools
  
• Design software
  
• Workflow automation SaaS
  
• Cloud storage

Many renew automatically and get lost in credit card statements.

A thorough subscription audit often uncovers both:

• missed deductions, and
  
• services you’re still paying for but don’t use.



Both help your bottom line before December 31.

5. Vehicle Expenses You Haven’t Tracked All Year

Mileage logs, fuel receipts, tolls, and maintenance costs frequently go unrecorded.

Even if you didn’t track mileage monthly, you can still:

• Reconstruct logs from calendars,
  
• Use route-mapping tools,
  
• Recover business-use percentages safely.



Vehicle deductions are some of the most generous available, just often neglected.

6. Professional Development and Education

If you invested in skills or certifications this year, the deductions may include:

• Courses
  
• Webinars
  
• Licensing renewals
  
• Industry conferences
  
• Books or digital learning materials

Most business owners forget these entirely because they assume “education” doesn’t qualify.
It does—when tied to your current business.

7. Bad Debts You Haven’t Written Off

Unpaid invoices aren’t just frustrating—they’re deductible when they become uncollectible.

Writing off bad debt helps you:

• Lower taxable income
  
• Clean up your AR
  
• Plan more accurately for Q1 cash flow



But the write-off must be documented properly to stand up to scrutiny.

Straight Talk CPAs ensures the treatment is compliant and defensible.

8. Repairs and Maintenance Misclassified as Capital Improvements

One of the biggest sources of missed write-offs is misclassification.
Many expenses that should be immediate deductions accidentally get booked as long-term assets.

Common examples:

• Equipment repairs
  
• Minor building fixes
  
• Routine maintenance
  
• Software troubleshooting
  
• IT support visits

If it restores—not improves—an asset, it’s often deductible right now.

This classification nuance is where most DIY bookkeeping fails.

Bottom Line

Write-offs don’t work unless you find them, document them, and classify them correctly. Most businesses miss far more than they realize—not because they aren’t eligible, but because everyday expenses slip through the cracks or get booked incorrectly.



Straight Talk CPAs closes that gap.

We don’t wait for tax season to catch mistakes—we surface hidden deductions now, while there’s still time to act. Our year-end process goes beyond compliance to make sure you maximize every dollar you’ve already spent.

When your books are accurate, your deductions complete, and your strategy intentional, year-end stops being stressful—and starts becoming profitable.