Starting on Jan. 1, 2014, the IRS’s standard mileage rates for taxpayers to figure the deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business, charitable, medical or moving reasons will be … 

• 56 cents per mile for business reasons

• 23.5 cents per mile for medical or moving reasons

• 14 cents per mile in the service of charitable organizations

Deductible rates are being decreased from 2013 by one-half cent in the business, medical and moving categories. Statute dictates the charitable rate.

There are exceptions: Taxpayers will not be allowed to use the business mileage rate for a vehicle after making use of any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or after claiming a Section 179 vehicle deduction. Also, the business mileage rate may not be used for more than four vehicles used at the same time.

As always, taxpayers have the alternative of computing the real costs of operating their vehicle —whether a car, pickup, van or panel truck—instead of using the IRS standard mileage rates.