Pennsylvania PA-40 Schedule UE – Unreimbursed Employee Expenses (2026)
Last reviewed: 2025-11-08
Use the Pennsylvania Tax Form Calculator Pennsylvania Form PA-40 Schedule UE – Unreimbursed Employee Expenses as a stand alone tax form calculator to quickly calculate specific amounts for your 2026 Pennsylvania state tax return. Alternatively, you can use one of our Combined Federal and State Tax Estimators to quickly calculate your salary, tax, and take-home pay.
Pennsylvania Schedule UE is used to report and calculate unreimbursed employee business expenses for residents and nonresidents with income from employment reported on Form PA-40. These are expenses directly related to your job that were required by your employer and for which you were not reimbursed. Examples include uniforms, union dues, tools, work supplies, and professional fees. You must keep documentation such as receipts, mileage logs, or employer statements to substantiate each expense category.
Expenses claimed must be ordinary, necessary, and directly connected with your employment. Deductions are reported per taxpayer (if joint), and reimbursements reduce the allowable deduction amount. The total allowable expense is entered on PA-40 Line 1a.
How to Complete Schedule UE
Schedule UE is structured in multiple sections covering each type of expense. Each line corresponds to a specific category, matching the official Pennsylvania Department of Revenue form. Work only in whole dollars and round to the nearest dollar.
- Section I: Enter union dues, uniforms, small tools, and professional fees. These are direct employee business expenses.
- Section II: Include vehicle, travel, lodging, and entertainment costs directly related to employment. You may use either the standard mileage rate or actual vehicle expenses, but not both.
- Section III: Report any other allowable miscellaneous employee expenses not covered elsewhere.
- Sections IV–VII (Side 2): Cover home office use, moving expenses, education expenses, and depreciation. Only include these if they meet Pennsylvania’s rules for job-related necessity.
All computations are automatic in this calculator. When you enter values, totals flow to the correct lines per the official form logic.
| SECTION I — Direct Employee Business Expenses | ||
| 1 | Union dues. List union name(s) and amount(s) paid. | |
| 2 | Work clothes and uniforms (required; not suitable for everyday use) | |
| 3 | Small tools and supplies (required for your employment) | |
| 4 | Professional license fees, malpractice insurance, fidelity bond premiums | |
| 5 | Total Direct Employee Business Expenses (add Lines 1–4) | |
| SECTION II — Business Travel Expenses | ||
| Vehicle Expenses: Standard Mileage Rate | ||
| 6 | Enter total business miles × federal standard mileage rate | |
| Vehicle Expenses: Actual Vehicle Expenses | ||
| 7a | Total vehicle miles driven in 2026 | |
| 7b | Total business miles driven in 2026 | |
| 7c | Business use ratio (Line 7b ÷ Line 7a) | |
| 8a | Gasoline, oil, repairs, vehicle insurance, licenses, rentals, etc. | |
| 8b | Depreciation (see instructions) | |
| 9 | Total vehicle expenses (add Lines 8a and 8b) | |
| 10 | Allowable actual vehicle expenses (Line 9 × Line 7c) | |
| Other Business Travel Expenses | ||
| 11 | Parking fees, tolls, and transportation | |
| 12 | Travel expenses while away from home overnight | |
| 13 | Meals expense (see PA rules) | |
| 14 | Entertainment expenses (PA-allowable only) | |
| 15 | Total Business Travel Expenses (add Line 6 or Line 10, plus Lines 11–14) | |
| SECTION III — Miscellaneous Expenses | ||
| 16 | Total Miscellaneous Expenses (itemize separately if needed) | |
| TOTAL ALLOWABLE PA EMPLOYEE BUSINESS EXPENSES | ||
| A | Direct Expenses (from Line 5) | |
| B | Business Travel Expenses (from Line 15) | |
| C | Miscellaneous Expenses (from Line 16) | |
| D | Office or Work Area Expenses (from Line 17 on Side 2) | |
| E | Moving Expenses (from Line 20 on Side 2) | |
| F | Education Expenses (from Line 24 on Side 2) | |
| G | Total Depreciation Expenses (from Line 25 on Side 2) | |
| H | Total Allowable Employee Business Expenses (add A through G) | |
| I | Reimbursements (see instructions) | |
| J | Net expense or reimbursement (Line H − Line I) | |
| SECTION IV — Office or Work Area Expenses (Side 2) | ||
| a | Depreciation expense for a home only | |
| b | Real estate taxes paid | |
| c | Mortgage interest paid (home only) | |
| d | Utilities (gas, electric, fuel oil, kerosene, steam, telephone) | |
| e | Property insurance | |
| f | Property maintenance expenses | |
| g | Other related expenses (list by type and amount) | |
| h | Rent paid for the dwelling (if renter) | |
| i | Subtotal (add Lines a–h) | |
| j | Business use percentage of home/work area (enter %) | |
| k | Apportioned expenses (Line i × Line j%) | |
| l | Office supplies used exclusively for business (itemize) | |
| 17 | Total Office/Work Area Expenses (add Lines k and l) — carry to Line D | |
| SECTION V — Moving Expenses (Side 2) | ||
| E1 | Miles: old home → new workplace (shortest route) | |
| E2 | Miles: old home → old workplace (shortest route) | |
| E3 | Distance test (Line E1 − Line E2) | |
| 18 | Actual allowable transportation of household goods/storage | |
| 19 | Out-of-pocket moving costs (travel, meals*, lodging, parking, tolls) | |
| 20 | Total Moving Expenses (add Lines 18 and 19; $0 if Line E3<35) | |
| SECTION VI — Education Expenses (Side 2) | ||
| 21 | Tuition or fees actually paid | |
| 22 | Books and course materials | |
| 23 | Travel to and from the educational facility | |
| 24 | Total Education Expenses (add Lines 21–23) | |
| SECTION VII — Depreciation Expenses (Side 2) | ||
| 25e | IRC Section 179 expense (total for qualifying assets) | |
| 25f | Depreciation expense for the year | |
| 25 | Total Depreciation Expenses (add Lines 25e and 25f) — carry to Line G | |
Example Scenarios
Example 1 – Construction Worker: Jordan is a union carpenter required to buy specific tools and safety clothing. He pays $400 for tools, $250 for uniforms, and $550 in union dues with no reimbursement. His total allowable deduction (Section I) is $1,200. Entered on Line 5 and carried through, it reduces taxable compensation on PA-40 Line 1a.
Example 2 – Traveling Salesperson: Maria drives 12,000 miles annually for work (8,000 business miles). Using the actual-expense method, her total vehicle costs are $4,000. With 66.7% business use, $2,668 is allowable on Line 10. She also adds $1,200 for lodging and $800 for meals, producing total travel expenses of $4,668.
Example 3 – Educator with Classroom Supplies: A teacher purchases $300 in educational materials and spends $1,200 on tuition for job-required training. Section VI allows these under Lines 21–23, totaling $1,500 in deductible expenses.
Example 4 – Partial Reimbursement: If your employer reimbursed $500 of the $1,200 total expenses, Line I records that amount, and Line J reflects the $700 difference as your net deduction.
Important Notes
- Expenses reimbursed by your employer are not deductible.
- Meal expenses must comply with Pennsylvania’s 50% limitation rule unless fully job-required.
- Moving and education expenses are deductible only when job-related and required by your employer.
- Keep detailed records for each line to substantiate the expense if requested by the Department of Revenue.
Last reviewed: 2025-11-08: If you believe this form requires an update, please contact us.
Further Guidance and Related Resources
- Form PA-40 – Pennsylvania Income Tax Return
- Official PA-40 Schedule UE (2024 PDF)
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue – Personal Income Tax Forms
Schedule UE is essential for Pennsylvania employees incurring job-related, unreimbursed expenses. Completing it accurately ensures your taxable compensation reflects only true income, providing fair relief and compliance under the state’s 3.07% income-tax rate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Form PA-40?
Form PA-40 is the Pennsylvania Individual Income Tax Return used by residents, part-year residents, and nonresidents to report taxable income and claim credits or deductions.
Can I amend to claim a refund?
Yes, if withholding or estimated payments exceeded revised liability.
Does PA tax long-term capital gains?
Yes—PA taxes “net gains from the sale, exchange, or disposition of property.” This wage page doesn’t include capital gains; model them with Schedule D.
What rate does Pennsylvania use?
Pennsylvania has a flat personal income tax rate of 3.07 % for all taxable income.
Where do I enter the exclusion amount?
You do not enter it separately; if fully excluded, you simply omit the gain from your PA-40. Partial exclusions must be shown on Schedule 19.
Important Notes
All calculations are estimates for guidance only. Always review your return and consider professional advice when submitting official filings.