How should a business owner handle reimbursement advances?

The direct answer

Under an accountable arrangement, the employee must substantiate qualifying expenses and return excess advances within a reasonable period. An advance is not permission to retain unused cash tax-free. Set deadlines, reconcile the advance and identify any amount requiring payroll treatment.

A practical example

Illustrative example, not a client result: A company advances travel money but the trip costs less. The unused balance should be returned and the reconciliation retained.

Begin with the underlying business purpose

An expense policy is a recordkeeping process, not a new category of deductible spending. Identify the business purpose and any personal component first, then select the appropriate reimbursement and reporting treatment. Keep payment records connected to itemized support, and assign responsibility for reviewing expense reports so mistakes do not accumulate until annual filing.

Put the answer into your own tax file

Start by identifying the taxpayer, the tax year and the actual transaction. Then connect the transaction to the original documents before choosing a return line or moving money between accounts. A payment description can be useful evidence, but it cannot replace the underlying facts.

The records to review for this topic are: Itemized receipts, business-purpose notes, travel itineraries, mileage logs and the reimbursement policy.

For the example above, write down the decision that needs to be made, the missing information and the person responsible for supplying it. Keep the business, payroll, property and personal return teams aligned when more than one set of records is affected.

Questions to resolve before implementation