The Internal Revenue Service has announced a one half cent decrease in the standard mileage rates that taxpayers will use for calculating business, medical, and moving expenses in 2014. Use of the standard mileage rate is a popular alternative to using the actual expense method, which requires taxpayers to keep track of specific costs for maintenance, repairs, tires, oil, insurance, etc.

 Business Expense

According to the IRS, the standard mileage rate for use in calculating 2014 business travel expenses is 56¢, down from 56.5¢ in 2013. The new rate also applies where the employer maintains an “accountable” plan for reimbursing employees who use their own automobiles for business-related travel. Additionally, if an employee is provided with a company-owned vehicle for personal use, the employer may use the standard mileage rate to value the benefit.

Medical Travel

The IRS also announced that the .5¢ reduction applies to the mileage rate applicable to medical travel. The new rate is 23.5¢. Costs of medical travel are deductible on Schedule A of Form 1040 where the taxpayer has had to travel for medical treatment.

Moving Expenses

The .5¢ reduction also applies to mileage claimed as moving expenses, decreasing this rate to 23.5¢. Allowable moving expenses may be taken as an “above-the-line” adjustment where the taxpayer has to move for a job that is at least fifty miles farther from his or her prior residence than the prior employment.

Charitable Work

The new .5¢ reduction will not apply to the 14¢ per mile rate allowed for any travel related to charitable work. This rate is set by statute and is not inflation-adjusted.

Generally, the IRS adjusts the standard mileage rate annually, though it sometimes makes a mid-year adjustment when gasoline prices have changed significantly.

Summary

The new standard 2014 mileage rate is in effect for all business, medical, and moving expenses incurred. If you have any questions about how the standard mileage rates apply in particular (or deducting travel expenses in general), contact our tax advisors in Michigan, Houston or Ft. Lauderdale.