A phone bill is frequently mistaken for a power bill. MyEnergy, an online utility bill organiser, lists phone bills as one of the “Types of Utility Bills.” A phone bill is also referred to as a telecommunications bill, despite the fact that the distinction is purely semantic. Only your landline is considered a utility, not your mobile or wifi bill.
Is a phone bill considered a utility?
Phone bills are included under “Types of Utility Bills” on MyEnergy, an online bill management service. A telecoms bill is the same as a phone bill. In most cases, a mobile or wireless bill is not considered a utility.
Is a mobile phone bill considered a utility charge in the United Kingdom?
Your utility bills reflect the most fundamental costs of owning and operating a home. Gas, electricity, and water are all included.
All of them are items that you simply cannot live without. From your lights to your TV, computer, WiFi connection, and any security system you may have in place, such as a burglar alarm, nearly everything in your home is powered. Gas heats your water and living areas, as well as powering your oven, guaranteeing that you can prepare your meals!
Utility bills are needed to keep track of how much of these essential services we use and how much we owe to our suppliers.
Utility bill meaning
Any utility bill’s aim is to collect money for the gas, electricity, and water you use.
Your utility bill details how much gas, electricity, and water you used during a specific time period and how much it cost you. It should show how many units you’ve used and how much each unit costs. It will also show you the overall cost of the services you’ve used.
Most utility rates are set for a set length of time, so you should have a good idea of what to expect from your statement.
Utility costs, such as gas and electricity, should be paid in regular monthly instalments. Any underpayment or overpayment will be resolved with the supplier at the end of your contract.
Facts about utility bills
- Water bills are typically charged quarterly, so you should expect four bills per year.
- Although many organisations are now migrating to email-based invoices, paper utility bills are still issued to your address.
- Going paperless with your bills can result in savings of up to 510 on your bill.
- Each bill will list the acceptable payment methods as determined by your supplier.
What is the difference between utility, electricity, energy and gas bills?
Utility bills are a broad phrase that encompasses your usage and prices for power, gas, and water.
It can also include invoices for vital services such as sewer services provided by the council. Utility costs do not include optional services like cable television or cell phones.
Frequently, the terms utility, electricity, energy, and gas are used interchangeably. A utility bill, often known as an energy bill, typically includes electricity, gas, and, in some cases, water. A telephone bill is not considered a utility bill.
What other household bills do I need to worry about?
Other expenditures involved with maintaining a household may exist in addition to electricity, gas, and water bills. These could include the following:
- Payments for rent or a mortgage
- Connections to the internet and mobile phones
- Cable TV contract, TV licence
- Payments by credit card
These bills do not fall under the category of utility bills. Other common household expenses, such as groceries, are not included.
How do utility bills impact my credit score?
Utility providers frequently share payment history with credit companies, thus how you pay your utility bills has an impact on your credit score (or “credit rating”).
What does this mean?
If you have a good track record of paying your payments on time, you will find it easier to get a loan or a contract (for example a mobile phone contract). If you skip a payment, it may indicate that you are more likely to default on a loan. That implies lenders may refuse to give you money or charge you a higher interest rate.
The credit history from the previous twelve months is usually the most essential. Wait until you’ve built up a stronger credit record if you’ve missed payments in the last twelve months. Lenders are sometimes willing to overlook prior flaws. If your current payments are on time, this should happen.
Setting up direct debits with your bank can help you avoid late payments. You might also use your calendar to establish a recurring reminder. Regular payments will ensure lenders that you are a reliable borrower.
Is it possible to submit a cell phone bill as proof of address?
- A recent utility bill (e.g., gas, electricity, or phone) or a certificate from a utility supplier confirming the agreement to pay for services on pre-payment terms is required (Please note that mobile telephone bills are not acceptable as they can be sent to different addresses). It is permissible to have utility bills in joint names*.
- Tax bill from the local government for the current year**
- A full or provisional photo-card driving licence, or a full old-style paper driving licence, is required in the United Kingdom (if not already presented as a personal ID document). Provisional driver’s licences from the past are not accepted.
- A P45 or P60 is not admissible as the most current HM Revenue and Customs tax notification (i.e. tax assessment, statement of account, notice of coding).
- Financial statement with current address (e.g., bank, building society, credit card, or credit union statement)
- Obtain a copy of your most recent mortgage statement from a reputable lender**.
- Current benefit book or card or original Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) notification letter confirming entitlement to benefits (for example, child allowance, pension)**
- Current rent card or tenancy agreement from the local council
- An electoral registration search confirms that a person with that name lives at the claimed address*
*The date on these documents must be within the last three months, and they must include the applicant’s name and address. Photocopies and papers (such as bank statements) retrieved from the internet will not be accepted.
A cell phone bill is a form of expense.
Cellphones have become as important to business as a land line, making them a genuine, tax-deductible business expense. However, because cellphones are intricately linked to our personal lives for most of us, the IRS scrutinises this deduction closely to ensure that personal electronics aren’t claimed as a business expenditure.
Your cellphone as a small business deduction
You can claim the commercial usage of your phone as a tax deduction if you’re self-employed and use your mobile for business. You might properly deduct 30% of your phone cost if you spend 30% of your time on the phone on business. Writer Kristin Edelhauser of “Entrepreneur magazine” suggests acquiring an itemised phone bill so you may track your company and personal usage and justify your deduction to the IRS. You might also get a second phone number and use it solely for business purposes.
Deductions for employees
Even if you work for someone as an employee, you may be required to use your personal smartphone for business purposes for tax years prior to 2018. If you itemise your deductions, the IRS permits you to claim depreciation on your phone as a “unreimbursed business expense” if you use it for work on a regular basis and it’s a typical, accepted business practise.
Unreimbursed business expenses that total more than 2% of your adjusted gross income can be deducted. Professional association dues, legal costs, and other expenses indicated in IRS Publication 529 are included in this category.
These and other unreimbursed employee expenses are no longer deductible as of 2018.
Cellphone depreciation
According to Schneider Downs, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 affects the way you compute cellphone depreciation. If you used your cellphone for business less than 50% of the time, you could only depreciate it on a straight-line 10-year depreciation schedule under the prior regulations. However, the law now permits you to deduct depreciation (the decrease in value caused by wear and tear) over a seven-year period, as well as making bonus depreciation easier to claim.
Your cellphone as fringe benefit
If your company provides you with a cellphone as part of your job, your taxable income could increase. According to Schneider Downs, using your cellphone for personal calls even significantly counts as a fringe benefit that must be factored into your gross compensation.
If you can show that you use a personal cellphone during business hours and make all of your personal calls on it, the IRS may find that the business phone is used solely for business purposes, in which case your income will not be affected.
What can be used as proof of address in the United Kingdom?
Each bank has its own set of approved documents, as well as varied protocols for obtaining these documents.
Furthermore, when delivering these documents, the validity times for each document are also a crucial element to consider.
A bank or credit card statement, or an energy bill, for example, must be older than 3-4 months.
A council tax bill or a water bill can only be valid for a year (12 months).
Before providing any evidence, verify with your bank to see what the precise document validity requirements are.
Most UK banks accept these documents as proof of address:
- A valid UK driving licence is required.
- Utility bill received recently (gas, electricity, water, or landline phone)
- Recent bank or credit card statements
- a recent statement from a building society or credit union
- a lease agreement
Contact your bank to see if there are any alternative documents you may provide instead.
Important notes regarding acceptable documents:
- The same document cannot be used twice, even if it appears on both lists, when you are required to supply two separate documents (one for ID verification and one for address evidence). The paperwork must be from several businesses.
- All of the documentation must be current. Documents that have passed their expiration date will not be accepted.
- Proof of address documents should include your full name and current address.
- Statements from internet banking can be accepted.
- If necessary, banks retain the right to request additional identification and address verification documentation.
Is a bank statement acceptable as an energy bill?
A bank statement is not the same as a utility bill. A bank statement is not a utility bill; it is simply a clear and succinct breakdown of the contents of your bank account, as well as a handy way for you to examine what your bank is currently doing in terms of interest rates and other matters.
Is internet usage billed as a utility?
The bills listed below are accepted. Cable, electricity, water, and the Internet* are all included. (*On-premise internet bills are the only ones accepted.) Utility bills are accepted in both physical and electronic form (E-bills).
What counts as evidence of address if it’s a utility bill?
You cannot use the same document to prove both your identity and your address when opening an account. Any of the following papers may be used by the bank for verification (and they can also look for furtherinformation).
Proof of identity
As proof of identity, the bank can ask for any of the following documents:
- a valid Irish driver’s licence
- A National Identification Card for Seniors (issued by An Garda Sochna)
- An GardaSochna identity form with a photograph signed by a member
Any of the following documents may be requested by the bank as proof of your address:
- A copy of your most recent utility bill (such as a gas, electricity or telephone or mobilephone bill)
- a copy of your current auto or house insurance policy that includes your address
- A government-issued document that displays your current address.
- a copy of your Certificate of Tax Credit (TCC)
- Revenue’s Statement of Liability (formerly P21)
- A certificate of social insurance (that shows your address)
- A letter from your employer or a licenced employment agency stating that you have recently arrived in Ireland and have begun working, but that you are unable to produce proof of your Irish address at this time (you will have to provide evidenceof your address at a later date)
If you are seeking tax relief on the interest paid on a mortgage loan, for example, a bank may ask for your PPS number.
After an account is cancelled, copies of all paperwork used to confirm the customer’s identity must be kept for 5 years. Additionally, copies of transactions must be preserved for 5 years following the transaction date.
Bank employees are required to understand their customers’ businesses and can enquire about the volume and type of business likely to be performed via the account. You may also be requested to confirm the source of your funds and offer justifications for specific transactions.
A government issued ID
This method of identification allows the bank to match your face to your name, ensuring that you are who you say you are. As proof of identity, bring your driver’s licence, state-issued ID, or passport. If you require a driver’s licence or other state-issued identification, follow the instructions below.
Social Security Card
You’ll need to show that you have a legitimate Social Security number to properly confirm your identification (SSN). When you’re ready to open an account, make sure you bring that document with you.
Current official document with your name and address
This information can be found on a variety of documents, but it is required to prove your residence. To verify residency, you can use a utility bill, credit card statement, lease agreement, or mortgage statement. Print a billing statement from your online account if you’ve gone paperless.
What is bank proof of address?
Address Verification Bringing in a recent official document with your name and address is the easiest way to prove your address. You should be able to use your most current utility bill, cable bill, credit card statement, or even a cell phone bill.