IRS auditors are human. (Despite what you may think.) This means that auditors aren’t always familiar with every nuance of the tax code and so occasionally get things wrong. For example, you may be keeping a 90-day mileage log, but your IRS auditor may disallow all of your auto expenses because you can’t provide a 12-month mileage log. And the IRS auditor would be be … [Read more...]
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Conflicting IRS rules for deducting your business gym
Thinking about setting up a tax-deductible gym for your employees? That makes a lot of sense. They’ll appreciate the chance to stay fit. And appreciate you for providing a wonderful fringe benefit. But be careful. Ever happy to confuse you, the IRS has created two different sets of regulations from two conflicting code sections. Want to make sure you follow the right … [Read more...]
Tax reform update on business-meal deductions
Should you continue to deduct your client and prospect business-meal expenses in the face of recent changes in the tax laws? My answer is a resounding “YES!” Oh, I know. A while ago I wrote an issue of the Tax Reduction Letter titled “Yes, Tax Reform Did Kill Prospect And Client Meal Deductions.” This means you might reasonably wonder if I’m changing my tune. Not at all. … [Read more...]
How to prove travel expenses after tax reform
As you may know, recent tax-reform rules have left travel expense deductions pretty much intact. This means your travel meals are still tax deductible (subject to the 50-percent cut), and there have been no changes to the rules that govern your other travel expense deductions. What also hasn’t changed is the IRS's requirement that you back up all your travel expenses with … [Read more...]
Did Tax Reform Goof When Disallowing Deductions for Client Meals?
In recent days, we learned that lawmakers did not intend to eliminate business meals with clients and prospects. We’re not exactly sure how lawmakers can undo what they’ve done to the tax code in this area, but experience says that if there’s a will, there’s a way. We think it may take a technical correction to the tax code, but some speculate that you could get this done … [Read more...]