Vagaro's Ultimate Tax Guide for Personal Trainers and Fitness Pros

Personal Trainer Taxes, Deductions, and Expenses

Personal Trainer Taxes 101

Before we get into specific deductions, here’s some tax advice our experts had for personal trainers before they file…

Know Your Business Structure

To set your personal trainer business up for success during tax season, you have to first consider your business structure.

But why? 

Forming a business structure, Leo says, such as an LLC or S-Corporation, can have “favorable tax implications.”

By setting up your business this way, it’s much easier to keep personal and business finances separate. 

It also safeguards your assets and potentially reduces your overall tax burden.

Keep Your Accounts Separate

Our next expert made it crystal clear that keeping separate accounts for personal and business expenses will save trainers a ton of headaches.

Keeping separate accounts makes it “easier to spot purchases that are eligible for deductions,” Gates said, “and easier to account for every transaction if you are audited.”

Keep Solid Financial Records

When it comes to filing your taxes, this one might sound like a no-brainer. But two of our experts, Mark Lindquist and Andril Pominov, had plenty to say on this topic.

For Mark, this means you have to “track your income, keep accurate records of your customers and the services you provide, and keep receipts and invoices for all of your company’s spending.”

“Keeping meticulous records allows you to identify potential tax deductions,” Andril said, “such as the depreciation of business equipment, expenses for professional development, or deductions for a home office.”

Don’t Forget About State and Local Taxes

“Personal trainers and other fitness professionals may have state and local tax duties,” Salim said, “in addition to their federal tax obligations.”

This could be “income taxes, sales taxes, and local taxes imposed on businesses within the state.”

At the end of the day, “Be sure that you are aware of your obligations for state and local taxes and that you comply with all tax regulations.”

You Can Always Ask for Help

“If you aren’t sure what your tax responsibilities are,” Tom said, “or if you want to be sure you’re taking advantage of all the deductions that are available to you, consider consulting with a tax expert that specializes in assisting people in the fitness industry.”

#1 software & app for beauty, wellness and fitness

START FREE TRIAL

8 Most Common Personal Trainer Tax Deductions

Our experts had a lot of great suggestions for personal trainer tax deductions, so we rounded them all up for you in one place!

Gym Memberships

“In general, it’s really hard to deduct the cost of a gym membership,” Paul said. “But personal trainers and other fitness pros are almost uniquely positioned to treat it as a business expense.”

Home Expenses

Home expenses can be a big one for a lot of fitness pros, especially if you meet clients at your home for workouts.

“If you meet with clients in a home gym and only use that space for work,” Paul said, “you can claim the home office deduction. That lets you write off a portion of all your home expenses: rent, utilities, even driveway repairs — since you want to prevent your clients’ cars from getting damaged on the drive in.”

To find this dollar amount, “you’ll take the business-use percentage of these costs… by dividing the square footage of your home gym by the total square footage of your place.”

Business Expenses

“You can deduct any expenses that are directly related to your business,” Michael said, “such as equipment, advertising and marketing costs, and office supplies.”

Michael also mentioned travel expenses: “If you travel for business purposes, you can deduct expenses such as airfare, hotel stays, and rental cars.”

Education Expenses

As a personal trainer, too, Michael Hamlin pointed out that education can be considered a deductible expense.

“If you take courses or attend seminars to improve your skills or knowledge in your field, you may be able to deduct the cost of tuition, books, and other related expenses.”

Equipment and Supplies Expenses

This could include any gear your clients use, such as weights and machines. It could also be water stations, uniforms, and even your Spotify subscription, as long as you use it for your sessions.

Health Insurance Premiums

Michael Hamilin also pointed out that personal trainers can deduct health insurance premiums on their taxes. 

As long as you’re considered “self-employed,” Michael said, “you can deduct the cost of health insurance premiums for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents.”

Business Insurance Deductions

Most business insurance premiums are tax deductible as well.

Retirement Plan Deductions

She told us personal trainers who “set up a retirement plan, such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan” are able to deduct the contributions from their taxes.