That was the reasoning applied by an accountant for time he spent setting up his own internet business. The Tax Court was not amused:

Neither accounting principles, tax law, nor common sense supports a deduction by petitioners for contract labor as a result of an accrual of an amount by petitioner to himself for his own labor.

Peter Pappas has the scoop.

Cite: Mondello, T.C. Summ. Op. 2011-97