The average American works until May 5th just to pay their taxes. And many Americans have little or no savings or investments for retirement.

And here’s why I’ve brought up this uncomfortable topic at all:

Enter the savvy person who joins a network marketing business, or starts any home-based business this year. As a home based business owner, many of the things you are paying for now, become legitimate tax deductions.

One of the great things about starting a business from home is the tremendous tax advantages they provide. Let's see exactly what the tax advantages are for your home based business.

First of all, in any home business you have tremendous more tax advantages than if you were self-employed. These advantages really become huge when you consider how you can improve the profitability of your home business by declaring all of the deductions you are entitled to. Never forget to claim all of the necessary deductions. If you have difficulty figuring it out, go to an accountant or CPA.

You will also need to itemize your deductions for your home business operation on a separate schedule just as you would for your personal deductions. Knowing which deductions you are entitled to can save your home business hundreds of dollars a year. Just the tax advantages make starting a home-based business worth it.

Here is some background information on how your income tax amount is arrived at by the IRS.

The U.S. taxation code states that almost all income is subject to federal income tax. How can you, the guru of your home-based business, arrive at the final amount of income tax? Here's how:

Gross Income - (All Expenses + Miscellaneous Deductions + Depreciation on Assets) = Taxable Income.

Taxable Income X (Your Tax Rate) = Income tax for the fiscal year.

Here is a quick definition of the terms in the above taxation equation:

Gross Income = The total of all income for the year after the cost of the inventory has been paid for. Make sure you leave nothing out.

Expenses = All costs of doing business during the fiscal tax year. Examples include payroll, materials, supplies and interest on business loans, etc. To find out if an expense qualifies as a legitimate business expense, consult your CPA. You can also call your local small business bureau, or even the IRS.

Depreciation = This is the way of spreading out the deductibility of an asset over a period of more than one year.

The IRS has certain different depreciation schedules for different business property. This is done for assets like real estate, equipment and other assets with a long economic life. This method of taxation write-off has certain advantages. Be sure to talk to your accountant regarding proper depreciation rules. These rules are subject to change by the Congress and the IRS.

Miscellaneous Deductions:

This is an often misunderstood and overlooked way to save a lot of money on taxes. Remember that these types of expenses must be totaled up and declared on a separate schedule of your income tax forms.

Always track your expenses and be sure to save at least one copy of every deduction. You will be asked for proof of every transaction that is declared as a deduction if the IRS audits you! Keep good records and save them for 7 years.

Here is a list of some of the things you can deduct from your income taxes:

Business related expenses include:

1. Air fares

2. Auto expenses

3. Books and Magazines

4. Educational Expenses

5. Home Office Space* + a portion of utilities, telephone, and maintenance costs

6. Office Furniture

7. Cleaning Expenses

8. Meals with Business Clients

9. Laundry Expenses (When Traveling)

10. Advertising

11. Impairment-related Expenses

12. Licenses and Regulatory Fees

If you own your home you must use the IRS depreciation rules to determine this deduction. If you rent you may also deduct a portion of your rent.

Check IRS Publication 535 to find out if you can deduct any or all of the above.

As you can see there are numerous deductions that are allowable for your home-based business. The best way to get more information on tax deductions and related information on income taxes is to go online to http://www.irs.gov. There you will find a helpful search engine containing thousands of government publications that you can research and print out if you need to.

Now you have a good idea of the deductions you are entitled to take. So do your research, keep track of your expenses and take all of the deductions you can for maximum profit every year.