Is there Fed. law saying I need to deduct my normal commute miles when I travel directly to a clients?

Question

For example, I drove 76 miles to a client & turned in 76 miles for my expenses. It got rejected since I did not deduct my 20 miles that I normal drive to go to our main office. So I had to turn it in for 56 instead. Is there a Federal policy/regulation on this issue?

Answer 1

Your employer  may have whatever expense reimbursements they would like.

If they are more generous than Federal IRS tax guidelines, you should declare the excess as income.

If the expense reimbursements are less than federal IRS guidelines, you may DEDUCT the difference from your income on your income taxes.

In your case, you MAY declare all of the mileage from home to clients as business miles on your taxes, then declare the reimbursements, the difference is an income deduction

Read IRS 1040 business travel expense guidelines.

Answer 2

Yes, the IRS won't let you claim a deduction for the distance from home-work and work-home, even if you're going to another site. I can't claim my commute mileage, why should you be able to?

Answer 3

It's the miles from your main employer's office to the client.  Not from your house to the client.  It's an employer's rules, not really a federal law.  You may however be able to take the remaining miles and deduct it on your tax return?

Answer 4

It's entirely a matter between you and your employer.  It's part of the salary bargaining process.