For many business owners, the last thing they want to do is log each and every mile they drive for business. They believe logs are clumsy, time intensive, and easy to forget. The IRS, though, takes a very different stance.

In case after case fought in US Tax Court, the taxpayer has lost their mileage deductions because they can’t produce evidence of the business use of the vehicle. The IRS has also come out strong with this in audits as well, expecting to see a mileage log when examining a business.

There are several different ways to approach a mileage log, that will help if you’re ever asked the question.

• Keep a log of all the business miles you drive, including the business purpose for the trip
• Keep a log like the above, but just for 3-4 months out of the year, if your mileage tends to be pretty similar from month to month. Then, use these few months to determine the entire year.
• Look into Apps for Blackberry, iPhone, and Android smartphones that use the phone’s internal GPS to track your mileage, and allow reports to be edited and printed online.

No matter what method you choose, always record the total mileage on the car at the beginning and end of the year.