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Deductible expenses paid with credit card: In which tax year would they fall?
According to this discussion, there was a Tax Court ruling that likened deductibility for charitable giving by credit card to business expenses incurred by businesses operating under cash-basis accounting.  (The point is made by Larry Hess on that site.) Short answer: According to this argument, you can claim the deduction when the charge is incurred.  You don't have to wait until you pay it back.  (Again this is for cash basis.) Publication 538 states that "under the cash method of accounting, you generally deduct business expenses in the tax year you pay them."  I think the ruling above was meant to clarify when the expense is "paid".  In my totally unofficial opinion, I suppose this makes sense.  If I go to Office Depot to buy a box of envelopes, I walk out with the envelopes at the same time regardless of whether I paid cash or swiped a credit card.  I wouldn't walk out thinking: "HA!  I haven't actually paid for these yet."  If the shoplifting alarm went off at the door and I was asked if I had bought those, I'd say yes, right? If this doesn't convince you, you can always get professional tax advice.