Its Tax Time ... again

[NM]

Hmm - I am seriously thinkingh about asking for a per diem rather than actuals for the current year...

Based on salary and the places I go (NY, London, HKG) I think I wouild be much better off on a per diem rate - well for incidentals at least - not sure our $400 dinners for two would be covered

In my experience, per diems are better for me. If I have a significant meal expense that can be justified (i.e. dining with a customer), then for that meal I don't claim the per-diem allowance and submit the receipt and justifying documentation (i.e. names of peple in attendance).

Our travel policy clearly defines the portion of the per diem allowance that is targetted for each meal. And if someone else provides that meal, such as being taken to dinner by a vendor or the boss picks up the tab, or if lunch is provided at a conference etc, the defined amount is to be deducted from the per diem.

So if I wanted to have a $200 meal, and it was within the defined travel policy for me to spend that much, I just reduce my per diem claim by the amount for that meal and submit the receipts. Now it is very rare for me to do that because the rules around such claims are very strict, especially if there is a whiff of "entertainment" component. When I passed through Melbourne on my last DONE4 and had a few drinks and dinner with my colleagues there, I picked up the tab. But I did not claim anything more than my per diem allowance for the day since it would be perceived as entertaining local staff and that would be a pain to get past the auditors , so I just wore it out of my per diem and ate cheap for the next few days (well, I ate at places like the MEL FLounge, HKG The Wing etc) to even it out.