2010 Taxes

[regionalcap]

It is $59 a day domestic for all of 2010. Verified.

Also, read Pub463 carefully. Page 6 states "You can use a special standard meal allowance if you work in the transportation industry" ... "if this applies to you, you can claim a standard meal allowance of [$59] a day"

Pub463 specifically and deliberately sets transportation workers apart from the 'standard meal allowance'.

Only people using the 'standard meal allowance' not the 'special standard meal allowance' have to prorate based on time of departure/arrival.

Direct Quote:
"For both the day you depart for and the date you return from a business trip, you must prorate the standard meal allowance."

There is a clear distinction between the two.

Every tax company that I have used has always prorated the days.

 

[dooork]

E-Z perdiem prorates as well.

 

[av8tordude23]

.....

 

[generaltso]

I used perdiemcalc.com ... $25, much nicer than ezperdiem in my opinion

 

[great cornholio]

I've used TurboTax for years and it's been good especially with free filing. I like to tinker so writing a spreadsheet and adding up sales tax receipts and crap isn't that bad. Turn on the TV, get a couple boxes to fill with receipts and have at it. you can even drink four loko and snack on rotisserie chix while you do it!! best day ever!

P.S.- Spend the extra $ on getting the audit defense JIC you get a random selection.... it's like buying the AOPA insurance on your ATP. The peace of mind is great.

I agree 100%. There may be some companies where its not worth it, but I get paid crap per diem so it usually adds almost 1000 bucks to my refund. So for me its worth it. I've done both the standard and the city by city rate for two years straight. One year the standard was better and the next year the city by city was better. However in both cases the difference was only about 30 bucks. In reality that was probably only like 5 bucks in my pocket so for me the time it takes to do the city by city isn't worth it. The standard takes about 20 mins to figure out by looking at crew trac.

 

[great cornholio]

You can use more than 3/4 of the first and last day of a trip. Under special transportation workers (IRS pub 463 page 6) there is Method 2. It says that you can use any percentage as long as you use it consistently.

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

 

[av8tordude23]

Why pay for a service every year when you can download an application, try it for free, pay for it once and never pay another dime for the following year thereafter? Only one application does that...PerDiem Traveler.

Visit www.pdtraveler.com to see how much you could save every year without repeatly paying for this service every year.

 

[Lear6T]

Quick question. If you are a renter only (do not own a home), can you still make these deductions?

Reason why I ask is that we are going to lose our home in South Florida either to a short sale or foreclosure. Just wondering if not owning a property would keep me from making my flight crew deductions. Thanks.

 

[trip]

Quick question. If you are a renter only (do not own a home), can you still make these deductions?

Reason why I ask is that we are going to lose our home in South Florida either to a short sale or foreclosure. Just wondering if not owning a property would keep me from making my flight crew deductions. Thanks.

It has nothing to do with it, what determines is whether you itemize on the 1040 long form or just take standard deductions. Most people who itemize do so because they are paying on a house and the mortgage interest for the year will be the big ticket deduction that makes it worth your time to itemize since it will put you over the standard deduction. Once you commit to itemizing you want to use every nickle and dime you can legitimately use as a work related expense, it is to your advantage so this is where figuring out your perdiem is beneficial.

 

[great cornholio]

Quick question. If you are a renter only (do not own a home), can you still make these deductions?

Reason why I ask is that we are going to lose our home in South Florida either to a short sale or foreclosure. Just wondering if not owning a property would keep me from making my flight crew deductions. Thanks.

Before I was a home owner the per diem was my biggest deduction. One good thing about turbotax is that you can itemize and it will tell you which will get you the bigger refund/least payment because it compares both your itemized deductions to the standard deduction. Even before I bought my house the itemized was always the "better" way to go for me. And I don't even go crazy like some people I know.

The other good thing about turbotax is its free until you submit your stuff. So you can do the whole return and see exactly what you will get and if you don't like it just don't submit it and the only thing you're out is a bit of your time.

 

[Lear6T]

Thanks!

 

[tecmo]

perdiemcalc.com

I used perdiemcalc.com ... $25, much nicer than ezperdiem in my opinion

Also used perdiemcalc.com

super easy to use and way cheaper

 

[Nevets]

http://ExcelPerDiem.com
$16.95

 

[JamesD]

From
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch26.html

Special rate for transportation workers. You can use a special standard meal allowance if you work in the transportation industry. You are in the transportation industry if your work:

• Directly involves moving people or goods by airplane, barge, bus, ship, train, or truck, and
• Regularly requires you to travel away from home and, during any single trip, usually involves travel to areas eligible for different standard meal allowance rates.

If this applies to you, you can claim a standard meal allowance of $59 a day ($65 for travel outside the continental United States).

Using the special rate for transportation workers eliminates the need for you to determine the standard meal allowance for every area where you stop for sleep or rest. If you choose to use the special rate for any trip, you must use the special rate (and not use the regular standard meal allowance rates) for all trips you take that year.

Travel for days you depart and return. For both the day you depart for and the day you return from a business trip, you must prorate the standard meal allowance (figure a reduced amount for each day). You can do so by one of two methods.

• Method 1: You can claim 3/4 of the standard meal allowance.
• Method 2: You can prorate using any method that you consistently apply and that is in accordance with reasonable business practice.

Example.
Jen is employed in New Orleans as a convention planner. In March, her employer sent her on a 3-day trip to Washington, DC, to attend a planning seminar. She left her home in New Orleans at 10 a.m. on Wednesday and arrived in Washington, DC, at 5:30 p.m. After spending two nights there, she flew back to New Orleans on Friday and arrived back home at 8:00 p.m. Jen's employer gave her a flat amount to cover her expenses and included it with her wages.
Under Method 1, Jen can claim 2½ days of the standard meal allowance for Washington, DC: 3/4 of the daily rate for Wednesday and Friday (the days she departed and returned), and the full daily rate for Thursday.
Under Method 2, Jen could also use any method that she applies consistently and that is in accordance with reasonable business practice. For example, she could claim 3 days of the standard meal allowance even though a federal employee would have to use method 1 and be limited to only 2½ days.


From this I example I think you can claim all three days of a three day trip.

 

[av8tordude23]

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