For freelance journalists

Mileage receipts for assignments and coverage

Interview, event, field coverage.

Freelance reporters deduct assignment travel as an operating cost: each coverage is a professional expense. It applies to the interview that was cancelled — the travel made still counts — to event coverage and to the trip to a distant source. This profile shows how to tie each trip to the assignment to support the deduction.

Common pains

• Cancelled interview — Even when cancelled, the travel already made is deductible.
• Event coverage — Concerts, conferences and protests generate professional travel.
• Distant source travel — Out-of-town investigation adds mileage.

Best practices

• Tag the assignment in purpose — The desk defines the cost center for each trip.
• Log cancelled interviews — The travel made is deductible even without a story.
• Separate assignment from personal research — Only paid assignments are deductible.

Frequently asked questions

Do cancelled interviews count?

Yes, the travel made is deductible.

Does personal research count?

No, without commercial purpose there is no deduction.

MEI or Carnê-Leão?

In Brazil, MEI covers revenue up to R$ 81k per year.

Journalists who document every coverage recover up to US$ 10,000/year in deductions.