Travel Expense Report Question

[special]

Asking for a friend. Really. (spouse)

You normally commute North 50 miles each day.

Business trip South, 200 miles each way.

Besides hotel and meals, you also need to put miles on the expense report (personal car). Do you put 400 miles round trip, or 300 miles (since you would already commute 100 miles if you were going to office instead).

Probably doesn't break the bank or the company one way or another, but I am curious how you would proceed.

[macphanatic]

What does her company policy state? 

Typically, one deducts their normal commute mileage from overall travel mileage. 

If this is a one off, using a personal car isn't a big deal. If she's doing a lot of business travel, she may want to look at using a rental car. Insurance companies don't expect a person to use their car for regular business use. If she's doing this, there may be a significant impact on her insurance costs.

[Cary]

Is the commute an every day commute, or does this friend (spouse) work from home sometimes? Is there a closer office than the one 50 miles away?

By the way, is it 25 miles each way, which would add up to 50 miles each day, or 50 miles each way, adding up to 100 miles each day?

I don't think the North/South thing matters. If it's an every day 50 mile commute to the same office, the IRS rules are that the "normal" commute miles to the first stop be deducted from trip mileage.

In my experience, no one ever checked unless it was egregious.

[special]

Is the commute an every day commute, or does this friend (spouse) work from home sometimes? Is there a closer office than the one 50 miles away?

By the way, is it 25 miles each way, which would add up to 50 miles each day, or 50 miles each way, adding up to 100 miles each day?

I don't think the North/South thing matters. If it's an every day 50 mile commute to the same office, the IRS rules are that the "normal" commute miles to the first stop be deducted from trip mileage.

In m y experience, no one ever checked unless it was egregious.

Thanks for the IRS reference.

It’s a small startup, they don’t have any written documentation about company policies yet. Really early for them.

And she WFH about 2-3 day per week and goes to office 50 miles each way 2-3 days per week.

[cbelt3]

My model was travel from work location to customer location , but we are supposed to rent cars for work trips.

[Michael]

My old college had different rules for different situations.

If we travel to another site from our home and the distance is farther than it would be if we started at the college, they pay for the distance from the college to the site. If we travel to another site (from home) that's closer from our home than it is from the college they'd pay from our home to the site. That one irritated a lot of people for some reason.

[vicrockpt]

IMO, it depends if you leave from home for the trip or if you leave from the office. If from home it is 300, if from the office, 400. It is actual miles driven.

[special]

IMO, it depends if you leave from home for the trip or if you leave from the office. If from home it is 300, if from the office, 400. It is actual miles driven.

If you leave from home, it is 200 + 200
If you leave from and return to office, it is 50 + 250 + 250 + 50
But it makes no sense to drive North to office just to turn around and drive back South the same day.