Mileage Tracker
Overview
The Mileage Tracker lets you record, organize, and total your business and personal vehicle miles throughout the year. Every business mile you log is calculated using the current IRS standard mileage rate, giving you a running view of your potential tax deduction.
It’s designed for anyone who drives for work—whether you visit clients, run business errands, or travel between job sites.
Why Mileage Tracking Matters
Mileage is one of the most valuable deductions available to self-employed individuals and small business owners—but only if it’s documented correctly.
Tracking mileage in Quicken helps you:
Maximize deductions
Business miles can be deducted using the IRS standard rate or actual vehicle expenses. Most people benefit from the standard rate, but either method requires accurate records.Stay audit-ready
The IRS requires mileage logs to be created close to when trips occur. Logging trips as you drive builds compliant, time-stamped documentation automatically.Separate business from personal driving
If you use the same vehicle for both, tracking lets you calculate the business-use percentage that affects both deduction methods.Save time at tax prep
Instead of reconstructing trips months later, your complete mileage log is ready for reports, accountants, or tax filing.
How the Mileage Tracker Works
The Mileage Tracker is built around two ways of recording miles, depending on how detailed you want to be.
Trip-Based Logging
You record each trip with:
Start and end locations
Distance
Business or personal use
Purpose
This creates a full audit trail showing where you went and why.
Miles-Only Logging
You enter only total miles driven.
This is useful if you track mileage in another app, on paper, or in a vehicle system and want to transfer totals into Quicken.
Both methods:
Count toward your total miles
Separate business and personal use
Feed into your tax and reporting totals
When to Use the Mileage Tracker
The Mileage Tracker is useful anytime you drive for business, including:
Client visits
A consultant logs each client trip with the client name in the purpose field.
Job sites
A contractor logs mileage to and from construction projects.
Business errands
A business owner tracks supply runs, bank deposits, and post-office trips.
Multiple businesses
Someone running two businesses logs trips separately so each Schedule C has accurate totals.
Bulk entry from other sources
A driver who tracks miles elsewhere enters weekly or monthly totals using miles-only entries.
How Mileage Affects Your Taxes
Quicken supports both IRS methods for vehicle deductions.
Standard Mileage Rate
Your business miles are multiplied by the IRS standard rate. You can also deduct business-related parking and tolls.
Best for: Most self-employed individuals and small business owners.
Actual Vehicle Expenses
You deduct the business-use percentage of:
Gas
Insurance
Maintenance and repairs
Depreciation
Registration and loan interest
Best for: Low-mileage drivers or high-cost vehicles.
Quicken uses your mileage data to support either method in tax reports.
Guidelines for Accurate and Defensible Tracking
Good mileage records are both useful and IRS-compliant.
Log trips promptly
Record mileage the same day or week it occurs.
Be specific with purpose
“Client meeting – Johnson Construction proposal” is better than “meeting.”
Avoid excessive rounding
Natural mileage variation makes your records more credible.
Separate commuting from business travel
Your normal commute isn’t deductible. Travel between business locations or to clients is.
Use round-trip wisely
Round-trip works for direct out-and-back drives. Log multi-stop days as one trip or with detailed notes.
Keep supporting evidence
Calendar appointments, client notes, and project records support your mileage log if questioned.
Understanding Your Mileage Totals
The Mileage Tracker automatically calculates:
Total miles – all miles you logged
Business miles – miles marked as business use
Deduction estimate – business miles × IRS standard rate
Time-based totals – month, quarter, or year
These views help you estimate deductions, compare periods, and plan cash flow.
Common Scenarios
Home office
If you qualify for a home office, trips from home to clients are deductible.
Multi-stop days
Log one trip with notes like “Clients A, B, C + supply run.”
Forgot to track
Reconstruct using calendars, receipts, and project records, and note that entries were reconstructed.
Shared vehicles
If multiple people drive one vehicle, include the driver’s initials in trip notes.
Accessing and Managing Mileage (Quick Reference)
Access the Mileage Tracker from the Mileage section in the left menu
Add, edit, and delete entries directly from the tracker
View mileage in tax reports to calculate deductions
The Bottom Line
The Mileage Tracker turns everyday business driving into documented, deductible, and defensible tax records. By logging trips as they happen, you create a clear, compliant history that protects you in an audit and can save you thousands at tax time.