Help!!! deductions related to working out of town!?

If you were reimbursed, the only reason these should be showing up on your tax return is you weren't on an "Accountable Plan" and the per diems were shown as part of your pay.

First you must show that you still had a tax home "in town"--otherwise none of the expenses are deductible. (The idea is that for temporary out of town trips, you have legitimate business expenses that duplicate your regular living expenses and you haven't been out of town so much that your tax home has moved.) You can use "per diem" for meals, but must have actual receipts for lodging. (I get scared when you say "rent" that you moved your tax home.)

Second, why weren't you reimbursed? If you were working as an employee, these flow from 2106 to schedule A and if you have a lot, can trigger AMT.

If you were a contractor, they flow through the schedule C.

In turbo tax you should be in the tab marked personal, then deductions and credits, then employment expenses. But if you are using the standard deduction instead of itemizing then it won't matter - employment expenses are an itemized deduction and only the amount which exceeds 2% of your adjusted gross income. If your per diem reimbursement is greater than the actual expenses incurred the overpayment to you is taxable and should be included in your w-2.

If your expenses were reimbursed, you cannot take them as deductions unless your company reports the per diem as income.

Deductions would go on Schedule A. I'm not familiar with Turbo Tax.

I think you still need to file an IRS form, and since the fund value is lower than the guideline for distribution details, it would not much to worry. Yes, indeed, filing a return with IRS will give you a record and good standing, not only for tax purpose but also for bookkeeping purpose that later on you could answer to any concern question and avoid a lot of headache on the money matter.

You would report those expenses on Form 2106, and the total that you compute on that form will then be an itemized deduction on Schedule A.