Tag: Fringe benefits

Transit Benefit Drops by Nearly Half for 2012, While Parking Tax Break Rises

Administering qualified transportation fringe benefits (QTFBs) will be more complicated in 2012. Congress has allowed the parity between mass transit and parking thresholds — which gave transit and vanpool users the same tax advantage as drivers — to expire. Starting Jan. 1, 2012, the excludible amount for those who purchase bus, rail and other mass […]

No Travel Reimbursement for Feds Who Stay at Lodging They Own

Federal employees who stay at lodgings they own while on job-related travel should not even try to obtain a reimbursement for their lodging expenses. So says the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that sets the rules for reimbursement of federal employees’ employment-related travel expenses. The GSA issued a final rule on Oct. 14 […]

IRS Eases Cell Phone Substantiation for Employers

Bad news for people who think cell phones cause brain cancer, but good news for employers who think IRS’ old substantiation rules on cell phones were causing brain damage and stomach ulcers. The IRS provided some long-anticipated relief to employers that provide cell phones to their employees for business use, as well as to the employees who once […]

Cell Phones, Transportation Fringes on IRS To-do List

The IRS’ “to do” list includes writing up a notice on cell phone substantiation and finalizing guidance on debit cards used with qualified transportation fringe benefits (QTFBs), according to its 2011-2012 priority guidance plan published Sept. 2. Smart Cards The IRS lists 29 items under the heading, “executive compensation, health care and other benefits and […]