Top Deductions for Nail Techs
From the products at your station to the rent you pay for the space, most of what it costs to run your nail business is deductible. Here is where nail techs most often find their write-offs.
Station rent
If you rent a station, a chair, or a suite, that rent is fully deductible. So is any commission split you pay the salon owner. Keep your agreement and a record of every payment. For a renting tech this is often the single largest deduction on the return.
Supplies and product
Polish, gel, acrylic and dip powders, monomer, tips, files, buffers, brushes, nail art, top and base coats, and remover are all deductible in the year you buy them. The retail products you sell to clients are tracked separately as cost of goods sold, but they offset what you charge. Keep your distributor invoices and total them as you go.
Sanitation and safety
Sanitation is not just good practice, it is a deduction. Autoclave or sterilizer purchases and pouches, disinfectants, disposable files and buffers, gloves, masks, and the ventilation or dust collection you run at your station all count. Given the chemicals involved, this is a category worth keeping current and well documented.
Equipment and furniture
Your manicure table, pedicure chair or bowl, UV and LED lamps, e-file, and station stool are deductible. Smaller items you can usually write off the year you buy them. Bigger purchases may be deducted up front or spread over several years.
License, education, and insurance
Your nail tech license renewal, continuing-education classes, the certifications behind new services, and your professional liability insurance all count. Education that sharpens your current skills qualifies. Training for a brand-new profession does not.
The small things
Laundry for towels, booking and payment software (including ApptOnly), your business phone use, and marketing add up over the year. Keep them in one place so year-end totals are easy.
ApptOnly's Finances page runs your tax math as you earn, so you can see what to set aside before the next quarterly deadline rolls around.
This isn't tax advice. Tax rules change and individual situations vary. Talk to a CPA for guidance specific to your business.