What is the Augusta rule, and can I rent my home to my own business?

The Augusta rule (Section 280A) lets you rent your personal residence to your business for up to 14 days a year and receive that rent completely tax-free, while the business deducts it as an expense. It's named for Augusta, Georgia, where Masters golf attendees rent out homes. To use it legitimately, the rental must be for a genuine business purpose — say, hosting quarterly strategy meetings or a board session at your home — at a rate comparable to what a local venue would charge. You need real documentation: meeting minutes or agendas, evidence of comparable local rental rates, an invoice, and an actual payment from the business to you. Done casually or at an inflated rate, it's an audit magnet. Used carefully with a small business that has real meetings, it's a clean, legal benefit. Confirm specifics with a CPA.