btallman --
According to the following advisory from the IRS, the answer to your
question is "no," provided that the "business lunches" meet the
requirements for "business expenses" that are deductible by your
employer and you account for them properly to your employer. Here is
the relevant language from an IRS guide to employee business expenses:
"If your employer reimbursed you or gave you an advance or allowance
for your employee business expenses that is treated as paid under an
accountable plan, the payment should not be shown on your Form W-2
(PDF) as pay. You do not include the payment in your income.
"To be an accountable plan, your employer's reimbursement or allowance
arrangement must include all three of the following rules:
"You must have paid or incurred expenses that are deductible while
performing services as an employee.
"You must adequately account to your employer for these expenses
within a reasonable time period, and
"
You must return any excess reimbursement or allowance within a
reasonable time period."
IRS: Tax Topics: Topic 514 - Employee Business Expenses
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc514.html
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markj-ga |
