@CaliGirl925 wrote:
And to the OP: when I travel for business, I get reimbursed at the IRS rate too... I drive 10 miles for business travel in my personal vehicle? $5.40 added to my expense report. I've never thought about it before, but none of my business travel is included on my W2. I used to travel quite a lot, so there were some years I probably had tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursed travel expenses (awesome for my rewards balances, terrible for my social life), and I never paid a lick of taxes on any of those. I wonder if I was fleecing the government? I assumed since it was reimbursements, it wasn't taxable, but now that I think about it, I'm only about 90% sure...
great 1st impression u made w/new MSP & scheduler. congrats.@MiszG wrote:
I just recently signed up with a new MSP this week.
I have been mystery shopping for about 6 months, but I am NOT new to how to report my mileage for tax purposes! I informed my new CPA/scheduler that I use both the actual expense and standard mileage rate when figuring my mileage, and I didn’t appreciate the unwarranted tax advice!
@wwin wrote:
I think this really varies but where you live and what you drive. Here in So Cal gas and insurance are expensive. I'm not sure how registration compares to other states but smog checks aren't cheap. Also remember that $.54 is including things like wear on the engine, tires, transmission, belts, fluids etc.
@Flash wrote:
Even then if you keep a vehicle a long time the mileage may work better for you because the heavy cost is depreciation in the first few years and after that the annual expenses are fairly benign.
If I was the scheduler, I would take that as rude. A simple, "I can do that for $55. If you can find someone closer, that's great. If not, ring me back after you get approval for the $55" would suffice.@whosear wrote:
How I would respond to this scheduler is this: You have doubts about the $20 shopper. Otherwise they would be doing it. So your best offer for success is me. $55 is my price, take it or leave it. You will have no doubts.
@MiszG wrote:
I just recently signed up with a new MSP this week. The scheduler sends out a mass email asking if anyone is willing to travel. The email also states that if I need gas money, they would entertain reasonable offers. One of the shops is 102 miles from my home, but I travel quite a bit for my full time job, so I could do this shop along the way. I tell the scheduler that I would perform the shop, but I would like to get paid $55 for gas. I get an email back asking if I would do it for $45. I tell the scheduler that I expect to get paid the IRS mileage tax rate of $0.54 a mile. The scheduler then tells me that technically I can take the mileage off my IRS taxes, so that would be considered double dipping. Then she tells me another auditor will do it for $20. I wasn’t able to do the shop anyway because of a conflict with my full time job. What does the gas money amount have to do with how I file my taxes? Is the offer of gas considered a bonus? Is having a standard being unreasonable? I have been mystery shopping for about 6 months, but I am NOT new to how to report my mileage for tax purposes! I informed my new CPA/scheduler that I use both the actual expense and standard mileage rate when figuring my mileage, and I didn’t appreciate the unwarranted tax advice!