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Can I reimburse mileage to myself from my S-Corp if I'm the President but not an employee (not paying wages yet, not profitable)

I started an S-Corp in Delaware in mid-2018. Made many trips back and forth from NJ (home) to set up and run it until I moved there in November. The corp wasn't profitable yet by year end and I didn't set up any payroll or pay wages yet. Can I reimburse myself from the corp for the miles driven?

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4 Replies
Carl
Level 15

Can I reimburse mileage to myself from my S-Corp if I'm the President but not an employee (not paying wages yet, not profitable)

Understand that transportation expenses for a W-2 employee are no longer deductible by that employee. So your S-Corp would need to have an "accountable plan" to reimburse you with. That's basically where the employee submits receipts and/or mileage logs to the business for expenses incurred in the process of that employee working for the business. THen the business will reimburse that employee for what that employee has provided "in writing" (receipts) to the business, and the business can then deduct the cost. With an "accountable plan" reimbursed expenses are not included in the employee's W-2 earnings and therefore not included in box 1 of the W-2 issued to that employee.

Understand that what the business can deduct is still subject to the "per mile" rate for that business in this case. For 2018, that rate is 54.5 cents per mile. So in addition to gas receipts, the employee will also need to provide the business a mileage log of actual miles driven in the performance of their employment responsibilities. Then the business should only reimburse the employee for actual miles driven in the performance of their job, regardless of what any gas receipts may show.

Can I reimburse mileage to myself from my S-Corp if I'm the President but not an employee (not paying wages yet, not profitable)

If the business doesn't have the capital to reimburse me (or didn't in 2018) can I write the mileage off on my personal return as an unreimbursed business expense?
Carl
Level 15

Can I reimburse mileage to myself from my S-Corp if I'm the President but not an employee (not paying wages yet, not profitable)

No, you can not. W-2 work related expenses are just flat out not deductible on the SCH A.
MinhT
Expert Alumni

Can I reimburse mileage to myself from my S-Corp if I'm the President but not an employee (not paying wages yet, not profitable)

Yes, if the mileage is for business and is necessary for the S-Corp. I suggest that that the S-Corp set up an accountable expense plan for you (as its employee) so that mileage reimbursed to you is not counted as income for you.

Please read this IRS document:

https://taxmap.irs.gov/taxmap/pubs/p463-014.htm

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