Tax law allows you to deduct two types of travel expenses related to your business, local and what the IRS calls “away from home.”

First, local travel expenses. You can deduct local transportation expenses incurred for business purposes such as the cost of getting from one location to another via public transportation, rental car, or your own automobile. Meals and incidentals are not deductible as travel expenses, but you can deduct meals as an entertainment expense as long as certain conditions are met (see below).

Second, you can deduct away from home travel expenses, including meals and incidentals, but if your employer reimburses your travel expenses your deductions are Read More

Meal Expenses

Navigating Between Internal Revenue Code Sections 162, 274, 132; IRS Technical Advice Memorandum 200030001; and, Churchill Downs v. Commissioner

As per usual I’m swimming in areas where the tax code is seemingly at odds. The latest matter across my desk regards meals and entertainment (M&E) expense. These are the two questions at hand:

1. Specifically at what point does a meeting expense incurred under IRC section 162 to present a sales pitch to groups of prospective investors in which snacks and perhaps sandwiches are provided become a meal expense under IRC section 274 and thus Read More