Making the Most of Your Business Travel

Do you often find yourself on the road or in the skies for work? Whether you’re jetting off for a conference or meeting clients interstate, understanding the tax deductions for business travel is crucial. And it gets a bit more complex when you mix business with a bit of leisure. Let’s unpack how you can maximize your deductions while staying compliant.

The Basics of Business Travel Deductions

Travel expenses directly related to your business are generally tax-deductible. This includes flights, accommodation, and a portion of your meals. But, as with all things tax, there are nuances to consider, especially when your trip isn’t solely for business purposes.

If your business trip exceeds five consecutive nights, it’s wise to keep a travel diary. This should include:

• Dates and Times: Note the duration of each business activity.
• Nature of Activities: Describe the business tasks or events you attended.
• Destinations: Record the places visited for business purposes.

A travel diary helps justify the business portion of your trip, especially if audited by the ATO. You can use this link to get more information on the exact information you’ll need to keep.

Mixed-Purpose Travel: Business and Pleasure Combined

Mixing a holiday with your business trip? You’re not alone. But here’s what you need to know for tax purposes:

• Separate Expenses: Clearly differentiate between business-related and personal expenses. Only the business portion is deductible.
• Pro-Rata Basis: If certain costs cover both business and personal activities (like accommodation), you need to apportion the expense on a reasonable basis.

An important thing to note here is that if the predominant purpose of the trip was business-related from start to finish, you could deduct the whole trip even if there were days in between when you were unable to perform business-related tasks.

For example, if you travelled overseas for a work-related conference for 5 days and the conference was on days 1, 2 and 5 – you could deduct the flights and accommodation costs for the entire trip as the predominant purpose of the trip was related to the conference.

Adding a Holiday to Your Business Trip

Planning to unwind with a holiday after your business commitments? Here’s how to handle it tax-wise:

• Pre-Planned Holiday: If you plan a holiday in conjunction with a business trip, only the business-related travel costs before the holiday begins are deductible.
• Incidental Holidays: If a brief holiday happens to occur within or at the end of a business trip (without significant additional cost), your primary purpose is still considered business, and the travel costs remain largely deductible. There will be some costs that need to be apportioned though.

Smart Planning for Smart Deductions

Business travel can offer opportunities not just for growth but also for tax advantages. Understanding how to navigate the rules for mixed-purpose trips ensures you claim correctly and make the most of your travels.

To help your Accountant maximise your deduction, make sure you’ve done the following:

• Kept all receipts
• Provide a breakdown of the trip – your Accountant can help you decide what is deductible and what isn’t
• Kept a travel diary (if needed)