[Hugh R]

As a 1099 employee, talk to a tax guy. You can write off a lot, but one big red flag is the home office deduction. My tax guy, when I was a consultant, said it was safer to write off a percentage of the expenses. I was incorporated, and certain write offs can be taken such as a gym membership for executives. I also wrote off newspapers, professional publications, and in my industry books and movies that I saw.

Also, as an incorporated consultant, I got group rates on medical that were much better than family rates, at least in CA. Who knows how that will change next year....