Can You Deduct Business Travel Expenses? Here’s the Latest

Traveling for business? Don’t miss out on potential tax savings. Understanding the current rules for deducting out-of-town business expenses is key to maximizing your tax benefits.

Here’s what you need to know before your next trip.

Employee Business Travel: No Deductions until After 2025

First, it’s important to note that employees may not deduct their unreimbursed travel expenses during 2018-2025, due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (P.L. 115-97, 12/22/2017).

This is because unreimbursed employee business expenses are “miscellaneous itemized deductions,” which aren’t deductible from the years 2018 to 2025.

For tax years after 2025, employees’ unreimbursed business expenses will again be deductible, subject to the 2%-of-adjusted-gross-income floor that will apply to all miscellaneous itemized deductions.

Business Travel Tax Deductions for Self-Employed Individuals

Self-employed people can continue to deduct their business expenses for 2018-2025, including their out of town travel expenses.

Tax Rules for Away-from-Home Business Travel

Tax deductible costs for out of town business trips:

• Travel costs (plane fare, cab to airport, etc.)
• Business-related costs such as for dry-cleaning, phone calls, and computer rentals
• Meals and lodging
  

Your meals are also deductible, even if they’re not connected to a business conversation or other business function.

As with all deductible meals, only 50% of the cost is allowed (80% for long-haul truckers; certain airline, train, and bus employees, and certain merchant mariners).

Entertainment & Extravagant Meals

If you’re having a luxury trip, watch out.

• No deduction is allowed for meal or lodging expenses that are “lavish or extravagant,” a term that has been interpreted to mean “unreasonable.”
• Personal entertainment costs on the trip also aren’t deductible.
  

Combining Business & Pleasure

Some allocations may be required if the trip is a combined business/pleasure trip.

For example, if you fly to a location for five days of business meetings and stay on for an additional period of vacation, only some costs are deductible.

Only the cost of meals, lodging, etc., incurred for the business days are deductible. You can’t deduct the costs incurred for the personal vacation days.

On the other hand, with respect to the cost of the travel itself (plane fare, etc.), if the trip is “primarily” business, the travel cost can be deducted in its entirety and no allocation is required.

Primarily Personal Travel

If the trip is primarily personal, none of the travel costs are deductible.

An important factor in determining if the trip is primarily business or personal is the amount of time spent on each, although this isn’t the sole factor.

Business Conferences & Training

If the trip is for the purpose of attending a convention, seminar, or training, the IRS will check the nature of the meetings carefully to make sure they aren’t vacations in disguise.

Be careful to save all material helpful in establishing the business or professional nature of this travel.

Spouse Business Travel

The tax rules on deducting the costs for a spouse who accompanies you on a business trip are very restrictive.

No business travel tax deduction is allowed unless the spouse is an employee of your company and the spouse’s travel is also for a business purpose.

Personal Expenses at Home

Although out of town business travel often requires personal expenses at home, these costs aren’t tax deductible.

For example, the cost of boarding your pet while on the trip isn’t deductible.

Understanding the nuances of business travel deductions can save you both time and money. Whether you’re self-employed or preparing for future tax seasons, staying informed about these rules ensures you maximize your tax benefits while staying compliant.