Smoking deal for ASA crews. FLICA is offering free per-diem calculation!

[FishandFly]

I just spoke with flica about the new link "2006 expense report"

They are emailing me a 36 page pdf file that displays the individual conus/oconus calculations for the year.

For those not familiar with this, the irs allows more expenses for cities than ASA reimburses through our 1.50 per diem.

It may not sound like much, but it quickly adds up to 1-2k of additional deductions.

The hassle is that each city is different which is why all the aviation tax accountants build an excel calculator that they charge $50 to cut and paste your overnights into.

This is really the only reason to use an aviation accountant at all, since all the rest of deductions is more common sense than anything. So instead of paying the $200 for an accountant you can just use turbotax for $40.


Flica said that this is just a one time promotion, so you can't use it next year. Not that it matters for ASA anyway.

 

[WWEfan]

I use TurboTax too. It is a pain figuring out the perdiem rates, but its worth the effort like you said.

 

[Muff-N-Man]

Just signed up for it, but they say they will start sending them out mid-Feb, first come, first serve. Great deal, I'm just ready for it now!

 

[John Pennekamp]

So how do we get this?

 

[WWEfan]

Yeah, I was disappointed in the whole "mid-feb" thing. I was ready to start my taxes tonight. I guess I still can if I want to do the perdiem manually

 

[homerjdispatch]

ASAINFO.com rocks!!!! Oh wait, this is FLIGHTINFO.com!

 

[John Pennekamp]

So how do we get this?

Oh. I guess it pays to actually read the propaganda screen that comes up when we login. That's the first time I've read it! Thanks for the heads up, y'all!

 

[WestSide]

Does anybody know where I can get this info if my company does not use Flica? I do not want to go to an aviation accountant if I do'nt have to, as I would rather use Turbo Tax. Thanks.

 

[Sandstorm]

Wow that per diem calculation through FLICA sounds like a great tool. must be nice working for an airline that has real time FLICA and Open Time Live!

 

[FishandFly]

If you want to do it manually, here is the rate table:

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC

I've searched all over the place and the best price I've found was here for $50:

http://aviation-cpa.com/calculators.cfm

 

[WestSide]

If you want to do it manually, here is the rate table:

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC

I've searched all over the place and the best price I've found was here for $50:

http://aviation-cpa.com/calculators.cfm

Has anybody used the aviation-cpa.com calculator? If so, did it work well? Thanks.

 

[asayankee]

If you want to do it manually, here is the rate table:

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC

I've searched all over the place and the best price I've found was here for $50:

http://aviation-cpa.com/calculators.cfm

So...let me see if I got this straight. Since the company takes care of lodging, the only thing that applies to us is the M&IE rates?....and we get to claim as deductions the difference between those and what we make in per diem??? And what is the deal with CONUS vs. OCONUS vs. International???

Signed,
Tax Idiot

 

[regionalcap]

So...let me see if I got this straight. Since the company takes care of lodging, the only thing that applies to us is the M&IE rates?....and we get to claim as deductions the difference between those and what we make in per diem??? And what is the deal with CONUS vs. OCONUS vs. International???

Signed,
Tax Idiot

Yep. You've got the jist of it. You can only claim 75% of that difference though.
CONUS=Continental United States
OCONUS=Outside Continental United States

 

[asayankee]

Where can I get OCONUS info for the Canada/Mexico trps?

 

[FishandFly]

same original link, bottom right of map says foreign...

 

[Bspamp]

I just did the per diem calculations my self using the conus rates. Unless you do alot of international layovers, you are better off taking the flat rate of $52 per day. ASA overnights in too many low cost ($39 conus) cities. TurboTax is the way to go.

 

[trip]

Bspamp has it right!! Save your self a lot of time and money, Use the standard rate for transportation workers. 2006 rate is 52$ per day U.S..
Use 3/4 day for the first and last day of your trip. You can deduct 75% of the difference of what the standard rate is from what the company paid you in non-tax perdiem. Have fun!!

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p463.pdf

 

[EDUC8-or]

Has anybody used the aviation-cpa.com calculator? If so, did it work well? Thanks.

I'm entering my information right now, it's going pretty slow but it's going well. I'm going to show it to my neighbor who is a CPA before I submit to the IRS, when I'm done I'll let you know if it's worth the 50 bucks.

 

[Airboss]

Don't forget Atlanta is $49.
4 day trip Overnights HPN YYZ MLU ATL.
Per diem Rates
HPN 59
YYZ 109
MUL 39
ATL 49
75% of first and last day
(59 *0.75)= $44.25
+109 + 39 +
(49*0.75)=$36.75
Total=$229
Lets say company TAFB is 80 hrs. 80*$1.50(ASA company rate) = 120
$229-$120=$109 on ONE 4 day trip is tax deductable.
Add up the whole year's difference and multiply by 0.75 (transportation industry rate) and that is tax deductable.

 

[COOPERVANE]

What about naps/standups.

THe IRS pubs are a little fuzzy on this. It says only for overnight trips or trips with a rest period. ALL my naps have a rest period.