IRS clarifies temporary deductibility of per diem meal expenses

An employee’s per diem may be 100% deductible for 2021 and 2022

TAX ALERT  | 

Authored by RSM US LLP


The IRS has issued Notice 2021-63, clarifying previous guidance issued under Notice 2021-25 pertaining to the deductibility of food and beverages provided by a restaurant. As our previous alert discussed, Congress provided a temporary exception to the 50% business deduction for certain business meals under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020 (the Act). The temporary exception under the Act allows a 100% deduction for business meals if the food or beverages are provided by restaurants after Dec. 31, 2020 and before Jan. 1, 2023. 

Notice 2021-25 was released following the introduction of this exception by the Act, providing guidance on which businesses do and do not qualify as ‘restaurants’ for this purpose and whether food or beverages are deductible if provided in conjunction with an entertainment event. However, one point Notice 2021-25 did not address was how the 100% exception applies to meals provided to employees through per diem or meal allowances. 

Under Internal Revenue Code section 274(d), meals provided to employees while traveling away from home are generally nondeductible unless the employee and employer can substantiate the expenses in a manner that satisfies requirements under the section 274 regulations. These regulations require receipts, paid bills or other similar evidence to substantiate the deductions. Per diem amounts (under the IRS per diem guidance) generally do not require as much substantiation. Per diems can only be provided while an employee travels away from home overnight for business. Thus, it was not clear whether meal expenses paid or incurred under the per diem guidance were business expenses that could be fully deductible under the temporary change to the business meals deduction rules.

Notice 2021-63 addresses this ambiguity and clarifies that the meal portion of an employee’s per diem is in fact includable in the 100% deduction exception for meals provided by a restaurant. It further provides that if taxpayers follow the general per diem rules outlined in Rev. Proc. 2019-48, the substantiation requirements of the section 274 regulations are automatically satisfied. Therefore, under these conditions, any portion of an employee’s per diem pertaining to food or beverages provided by a restaurant is 100% deductible for expenses paid or incurred from Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2022. For a company that does not pay a meals per diem based on the full federal per diem amount and is required to allocate 40% of the total per diem as a meals allowance, the 40% amount is treated as deductible as food or beverage expense.

Takeaway

This taxpayer-friendly deduction opportunity will affect upcoming tax filings beginning with the 2021 tax year. Taxpayers should review their per diem and meal allowance arrangements to determine whether they are following the rules outlined in Rev. Proc. 2019-48 and should have discussions with their tax advisors to determine whether the expenses under their arrangements qualify for the 100% deduction exception so that such deductions can be taken on their 2021 tax returns.

Let's Talk!

Call us at (541) 342-5161 or fill out the form below and we'll contact you to discuss your specific situation.
  • Topic Name:
  • Should be Empty:

This article was written by Anne Bushman, Karen Field, Lauren Sanchez and originally appeared on 2021-11-18.
2021 RSM US LLP. All rights reserved.
https://rsmus.com/what-we-do/services/tax/compensation-and-benefits/irs-clarifies-temporary-deductibility-of-per-diem-meal-expenses.html

The information contained herein is general in nature and based on authorities that are subject to change. RSM US LLP guarantees neither the accuracy nor completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for results obtained by others as a result of reliance upon such information. RSM US LLP assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any changes in tax laws or other factors that could affect information contained herein. This publication does not, and is not intended to, provide legal, tax or accounting advice, and readers should consult their tax advisors concerning the application of tax laws to their particular situations. This analysis is not tax advice and is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for purposes of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on any taxpayer.

RSM US Alliance provides its members with access to resources of RSM US LLP. RSM US Alliance member firms are separate and independent businesses and legal entities that are responsible for their own acts and omissions, and each is separate and independent from RSM US LLP. RSM US LLP is the U.S. member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax, and consulting firms. Members of RSM US Alliance have access to RSM International resources through RSM US LLP but are not member firms of RSM International. Visit rsmus.com/about us for more information regarding RSM US LLP and RSM International. The RSM logo is used under license by RSM US LLP. RSM US Alliance products and services are proprietary to RSM US LLP.

Harding, Shymanski & Company, P.S.C. is a proud member of RSM US Alliance, a premier affiliation of independent accounting and consulting firms in the United States. RSM US Alliance provides our firm with access to resources of RSM US LLP, the leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market. RSM US LLP is a licensed CPA firm and the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 43,000 people in over 120 countries.

Our membership in RSM US Alliance has elevated our capabilities in the marketplace, helping to differentiate our firm from the competition while allowing us to maintain our independence and entrepreneurial culture. We have access to a valuable peer network of like-sized firms as well as a broad range of tools, expertise and technical resources.

For more information on how Harding, Shymanski & Company, P.S.C. can assist you, please call (800) 880-7800.

Evansville, IN 812-464-9161

21 SE Third Street, Suite 500
Evansville, IN 47708

Louisville, KY 502-584-4142

545 S Third Street, Suite 102
Louisville, KY 40202

Share This