Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Estimated tax savings
$3,444
Total deductible amount
$14,352
Total per diem before deductible %
$17,940
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How to use this
- 1Enter nights away from home (tax year).
- 2Enter per diem rate ($/day).
- 3Enter deductible percentage of per diem (%).
- 4Enter combined marginal tax rate (%).
- 5Read your estimated tax savings on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Drivers subject to DOT hours-of-service rules can deduct a per diem meal allowance for each day away from home on the road, using the IRS special transportation industry rate rather than tracking every meal receipt. This calculator multiplies your nights away from home by the current per diem rate, applies the deductible percentage, and estimates the tax savings at your marginal tax rate. This is one of the most underused deductions among company drivers and owner-operators — leaving thousands of dollars in legitimate deductions unclaimed simply because the days-away count was never tracked.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Nights away from home (tax year): 260
- Per diem rate: 69 $/day
- Deductible percentage of per diem: 80 %
- Combined marginal tax rate: 24 %
Results
- Estimated tax savings: $3,444
- Total deductible amount: $14,352
- Total per diem before deductible %: $17,940
What each field means
Inputs
- Nights away from home (tax year)
- The nights away from home (tax year) used in the calculation. Starts at 260 so you have a working example on load.
- Per diem rate ($/day)
- The per diem rate used in the calculation, measured in $/day. Starts at 69 $/day so you have a working example on load.
- Deductible percentage of per diem (%)
- The deductible percentage of per diem used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 80 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–100 %.
- Combined marginal tax rate (%)
- The combined marginal tax rate used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 24 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–60 %.
Results
- Estimated tax savings
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total deductible amount
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total per diem before deductible %
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Who can claim the per diem deduction?
Currently, self-employed owner-operators can claim it directly on Schedule C. Company drivers generally cannot deduct unreimbursed employee expenses under current federal tax law (post-2018 changes), though some carriers offer a per diem pay program that achieves a similar effect through payroll structuring — check with a trucking-specialized tax preparer.
What counts as a 'night away from home'?
Generally a full 24-hour period, or a period requiring rest, away from your tax home while performing work duties under DOT hours-of-service rules — most drivers count this from their logbook or ELD records showing days on the road.
Why is the deductible percentage not 100%?
Federal tax law limits the deductible portion of the per diem meal allowance for transportation workers subject to DOT hours-of-service limits — verify the current year's applicable percentage with the IRS or a tax professional since it has changed in past legislation.
Should I track actual meal costs instead?
The per diem method (using the flat IRS rate) is simpler and usually more generous than tracking actual receipts for most drivers, since actual road meal spending is hard to substantiate fully — but a tax professional can tell you which method benefits your specific situation.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Trucker Per Diem Tax Savings Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/per-diem-tax-savings
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/per-diem-tax-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trucker Per Diem Tax Savings Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Trucker Per Diem Tax Savings Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/per-diem-tax-savings) (2026).