Title 26—Internal Revenue--Volume 1
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
§ 1.274-2   Disallowance of deductions for certain expenses for entertainment, amusement, recreation, or travel.
(a) General rules —(1) Entertainment activity. Except as provided in this section, no deduction otherwise allowable under Chapter 1 of the Code shall be allowed for any expenditure with respect to entertainment unless the taxpayer establishes:
(i) That the expenditure was directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business, or
(ii) In the case of an expenditure directly preceding or following a substantial and bona fide business discussion (including business meetings at a convention or otherwise), that the expenditure was associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business.
(2) Entertainment facilities —(i) Expenditures paid or incurred after December 31, 1978, and not with respect to a club. Except as provided in this section with respect to a club, no deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Code shall be allowed for any expenditure paid or incurred after December 31, 1978, with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment.
(ii) Expenditures paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to entertainment facilities, or paid or incurred before January 1, 1994, with respect to clubs —( a ) Requirements for deduction. Except as provided in this section, no deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allowed for any expenditure paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment, or for any expenditure paid or incurred before January 1, 1994, with respect to a club used in connection with entertainment, unless the taxpayer establishes—
( 1 ) That the facility or club was used primarily for the furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business; and
( 2 ) That the expenditure was directly related to the active conduct of that trade or business.
( b ) Amount of deduction. The deduction allowable under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)( a ) of this section shall not exceed the portion of the expenditure directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business.
(iii) Expenditures paid or incurred after December 31, 1993, with respect to a club —( a ) In general. No deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code shall be allowed for amounts paid or incurred after December 31, 1993, for membership in any club organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose. The purposes and activities of a club, and not its name, determine whether it is organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose. Clubs organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose include any membership organization if a principal purpose of the organization is to conduct entertainment activities for members of the organization or their guests or to provide members or their guests with access to entertainment facilities within the meaning of paragraph (e)(2) of this section. Clubs organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose include, but are not limited to, country clubs, golf and athletic clubs, airline clubs, hotel clubs, and clubs operated to provide meals under circumstances generally considered to be conducive to business discussion.
( b ) Exceptions. Unless a principal purpose of the organization is to conduct entertainment activities for members or their guests or to provide members or their guests with access to entertainment facilities, business leagues, trade associations, chambers of commerce, boards of trade, real estate boards, professional organizations (such as bar associations and medical associations), and civic or public service organizations will not be treated as clubs organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose.
(3) Cross references. For definition of the term entertainment, see paragraph (b)(1) of this section. For the disallowance of deductions for the cost of admission to a dinner or program any part of the proceeds of which inures to the use of a political party or political candidate, and cost of admission to an inaugural event or similar event identified with any political party or political candidate, see § 1.276-1. For rules and definitions with respect to:
(i) “Directly related entertainment”, see paragraph (c) of this section,
(ii) “Associated entertainment”, see paragraph (d) of this section,
(iii) “Expenditures paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to entertainment facilities or before January 1, 1994, with respect to clubs”, see paragraph (e) of this section, and
(iv) “Specific exceptions” to the disallowance rules of this section, see paragraph (f) of this section.
(b) Definitions —(1) Entertainment defined —(i) In general. For purposes of this section, the term entertainment means any activity which is of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment, amusement, or recreation, such as entertaining at night clubs, cocktail lounges, theaters, country clubs, golf and athletic clubs, sporting events, and on hunting, fishing, vacation and similar trips, including such activity relating solely to the taxpayer or the taxpayer's family. The term entertainment may include an activity, the cost of which is claimed as a business expense by the taxpayer, which satisfies the personal, living, or family needs of any individual, such as providing food and beverages, a hotel suite, or an automobile to a business customer or his family. The term entertainment does not include activities which, although satisfying personal, living, or family needs of an individual, are clearly not regarded as constituting entertainment, such as ( a ) supper money provided by an employer to his employee working overtime, ( b ) a hotel room maintained by an employer for lodging of his employees while in business travel status, or ( c ) an automobile used in the active conduct of trade or business even though used for routine personal purposes such as commuting to and from work. On the other hand, the providing of a hotel room or an automobile by an employer to his employee who is on vacation would constitute entertainment of the employee.
(ii) Objective test. An objective test shall be used to determine whether an activity is of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment. Thus, if an activity is generally considered to be entertainment, it will constitute entertainment for purposes of this section and section 274(a) regardless of whether the expenditure can also be described otherwise, and even though the expenditure relates to the taxpayer alone. This objective test precludes arguments such as that entertainment means only entertainment of others or that an expenditure for entertainment should be characterized as an expenditure for advertising or public relations. However, in applying this test the taxpayer's trade or business shall be considered. Thus, although attending a theatrical performance would generally be considered entertainment, it would not be so considered in the case of a professional theater critic, attending in his professional capacity. Similarly, if a manufacturer of dresses conducts a fashion show to introduce his products to a group of store buyers, the show would not be generally considered to constitute entertainment. However, if an appliance distributor conducts a fashion show for the wives of his retailers, the fashion show would be generally considered to constitute entertainment.
(iii) Special definitional rules—(a) In general. Except as otherwise provided in ( b ) or ( c ) of this subdivision, any expenditure which might generally be considered either for a gift or entertainment, or considered either for travel or entertainment, shall be considered an expenditure for entertainment rather than for a gift or travel.
( b ) Expenditures deemed gifts. An expenditure described in ( a ) of this subdivision shall be deemed for a gift to which this section does not apply if it is:
( 1 ) An expenditure for packaged food or beverages transferred directly or indirectly to another person intended for consumption at a later time.
( 2 ) An expenditure for tickets of admission to a place of entertainment transferred to another person if the taxpayer does not accompany the recipient to the entertainment unless the taxpayer treats the expenditure as entertainment. The taxpayer may change his treatment of such an expenditure as either a gift or entertainment at any time within the period prescribed for assessment of tax as provided in section 6501 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
( 3 ) Such other specific classes of expenditure generally considered to be for a gift as the Commissioner, in his discretion, may prescribe.
( c ) Expenditures deemed travel. An expenditure described in ( a ) of this subdivision shall be deemed for travel to which this section does not apply if it is:
( 1 ) With respect to a transportation type facility (such as an automobile or an airplane), even though used on other occasions in connection with an activity of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment, to the extent the facility is used in pursuit of a trade or business for purposes of transportation not in connection with entertainment. See also paragraph (e)(3)(iii)( b ) of this section for provisions covering nonentertainment expenditures with respect to such facilities.
( 2 ) Such other specific classes of expenditure generally considered to be for travel as the Commissioner, in his discretion, may prescribe.
(2) Other definitions —(i) Expenditure. The term expenditure as used in this section shall include expenses paid or incurred for goods, services, facilities, and items (including items such as losses and depreciation).
(ii) Expenses for production of income. For purposes of this section, any reference to trade or business shall include any activity described in section 212.
(iii) Business associate. The term business associate as used in this section means a person with whom the taxpayer could reasonably expect to engage or deal in the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business such as the taxpayer's customer, client, supplier, employee, agent, partner, or professional adviser, whether established or prospective.
(c) Directly related entertainment —(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d) of this section (relating to associated entertainment) or under paragraph (f) of this section (relating to business meals and other specific exceptions), no deduction shall be allowed for any expenditure for entertainment unless the taxpayer establishes that the expenditure was directly related to the active conduct of his trade or business within the meaning of this paragraph.
(2) Directly related entertainment defined. Any expenditure for entertainment, if it is otherwise allowable as a deduction under chapter 1 of the Code, shall be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if it meets the requirements of any one of subparagraphs (3), (4), (5), or (6) of this paragraph.
(3) Directly related in general. Except as provided in subparagraph (7) of this paragraph, an expenditure for entertainment shall be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if it is established that it meets all of the requirements of subdivisions (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of this subparagraph.
(i) At the time the taxpayer made the entertainment expenditure (or committed himself to make the expenditure), the taxpayer had more than a general expectation of deriving some income or other specific trade or business benefit (other than the goodwill of the person or persons entertained) at some indefinite future time from the making of the expenditure. A taxpayer, however, shall not be required to show that income or other business benefit actually resulted from each and every expenditure for which a deduction is claimed.
(ii) During the entertainment period to which the expenditure related, the taxpayer actively engaged in a business meeting, negotiation, discussion, or other bona fide business transaction, other than entertainment, for the purpose of obtaining such income or other specific trade or business benefit (or, at the time the taxpayer made the expenditure or committed himself to the expenditure, it was reasonable for the taxpayer to expect that he would have done so, although such was not the case solely for reasons beyond the taxpayer's control).
(iii) In light of all the facts and circumstances of the case, the principal character or aspect of the combined business and entertainment to which the expenditure related was the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business (or at the time the taxpayer made the expenditure or committed himself to the expenditure, it was reasonable for the taxpayer to expect that the active conduct of trade or business would have been the principal character or aspect of the entertainment, although such was not the case solely for reasons beyond the taxpayer's control). It is not necessary that more time be devoted to business than to entertainment to meet this requirement. The active conduct of trade or business is considered not to be the principal character or aspect of combined business and entertainment activity on hunting or fishing trips or on yachts and other pleasure boats unless the taxpayer clearly establishes to the contrary.
(iv) The expenditure was allocable to the taxpayer and a person or persons with whom the taxpayer engaged in the active conduct of trade or business during the entertainment or with whom the taxpayer establishes he would have engaged in such active conduct of trade or business if it were not for circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control. For expenditures closely connected with directly related entertainment, see paragraph (d)(4) of this section.
(4) Expenditures in clear business setting. An expenditure for entertainment shall be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if it is established that the expenditure was for entertainment occurring in a clear business setting directly in furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business. Generally, entertainment shall not be considered to have occurred in a clear business setting unless the taxpayer clearly establishes that any recipient of the entertainment would have reasonably known that the taxpayer had no significant motive, in incurring the expenditure, other than directly furthering his trade or business. Objective rather than subjective standards will be determinative. Thus, entertainment which occurred under any circumstances described in subparagraph (7)(ii) of this paragraph ordinarily will not be considered as occurring in a clear business setting. Such entertainment will generally be considered to be socially rather than commercially motivated. Expenditures made for the furtherance of a taxpayer's trade or business in providing a “hospitality room” at a convention (described in paragraph (d)(3)(i)( b ) of this section) at which goodwill is created through display or discussion of the taxpayer's products, will, however, be treated as directly related. In addition, entertainment of a clear business nature which occurred under circumstances where there was no meaningful personal or social relationship between the taxpayer and the recipients of the entertainment may be considered to have occurred in a clear business setting. For example, entertainment of business representatives and civic leaders at the opening of a new hotel or theatrical production, where the clear purpose of the taxpayer is to obtain business publicity rather than to create or maintain the goodwill of the recipients of the entertainment, would generally be considered to be in a clear business setting. Also, entertainment which has the principal effect of a price rebate in connection with the sale of the taxpayer's products generally will be considered to have occurred in a clear business setting. Such would be the case, for example, if a taxpayer owning a hotel were to provide occasional free dinners at the hotel for a customer who patronized the hotel.
(5) Expenditures for services performed. An expenditure shall be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if it is established that the expenditure was made directly or indirectly by the taxpayer for the benefit of an individual (other than an employee), and if such expenditure was in the nature of compensation for services rendered or was paid as a prize or award which is required to be included in gross income under section 74 and the regulations thereunder. For example, if a manufacturer of products provides a vacation trip for retailers of his products who exceed sales quotas as a prize or award which is includible in gross income, the expenditure will be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business.
(6) Club dues, etc., allocable to business meals. An expenditure shall be considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if it is established that the expenditure was with respect to a facility (as described in paragraph (e) of this section) used by the taxpayer for the furnishing of food or beverages under circumstances described in paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section (relating to business meals and similar expenditures), to the extent allocable to the furnishing of such food or beverages. This paragraph (c)(6) applies to club dues paid or incurred before January 1, 1987.
(7) Expenditures generally considered not directly related. Expenditures for entertainment, even if connected with the taxpayer's trade or business, will generally be considered not directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business, if the entertainment occurred under circumstances where there was little or no possibility of engaging in the active conduct of trade or business. The following circumstances will generally be considered circumstances where there was little or no possibility of engaging in the active conduct of a trade or business:
(i) The taxpayer was not present;
(ii) The distractions were substantial, such as:
( a ) A meeting or discussion at night clubs, theaters, and sporting events, or during essentially social gatherings such as cocktail parties, or
( b ) A meeting or discussion, if the taxpayer meets with a group which includes persons other than business associates, at places such as cocktail lounges, country clubs, golf and athletic clubs, or at vacation resorts.
(d) Associated entertainment —(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section (relating to business meals and other specific exceptions) and subparagraph (4) of this paragraph (relating to expenditures closely connected with directly related entertainment), any expenditure for entertainment which is not directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business will not be allowable as a deduction unless:
(i) It was associated with the active conduct of trade or business as defined in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, and
(ii) The entertainment directly preceded or followed a substantial and bona fide business discussion as defined in subparagraph (3) of this paragraph.
(2) Associated entertainment defined. Generally, any expenditure for entertainment, if it is otherwise allowable under Chapter 1 of the Code, shall be considered associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business if the taxpayer establishes that he had a clear business purpose in making the expenditure, such as to obtain new business or to encourage the continuation of an existing business relationship. However, any portion of an expenditure allocable to a person who was not closely connected with a person who engaged in the substantial and bona fide business discussion (as defined in subparagraph (3)(i) of this paragraph) shall not be considered associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business. The portion of an expenditure allocable to the spouse of a person who engaged in the discussion will, if it is otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Code, be considered associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business.
(3) Directly preceding or following a substantial and bona fide business discussion defined —(i) Substantial and bona fide business discussion —( a ) In general. Whether any meeting, negotiation or discussion constitutes a “substantial and bona fide business discussion” within the meaning of this section depends upon the facts and circumstances of each case. It must be established, however, that the taxpayer actively engaged in a business meeting, negotiation, discussion, or other bona fide business transaction, other than entertainment, for the purpose of obtaining income or other specific trade or business benefit. In addition, it must be established that such a business meeting, negotiation, discussion, or transaction was substantial in relation to the entertainment. This requirement will be satisfied if the principal character or aspect of the combined entertainment and business activity was the active conduct of business. However, it is not necessary that more time be devoted to business than to entertainment to meet this requirement.
( b ) Meetings at conventions, etc. Any meeting officially scheduled in connection with a program at a convention or similar general assembly, or at a bona fide trade or business meeting sponsored and conducted by business or professional organizations, shall be considered to constitute a substantial and bona fide business discussion within the meaning of this section provided:
( 1 ) Expenses necessary to taxpayer's attendance. The expenses necessary to the attendance of the taxpayer at the convention, general assembly, or trade or business meeting, were ordinary and necessary within the meaning of section 162 or 212;
( 2 ) Convention program. The organization which sponsored the convention, or trade or business meeting had scheduled a program of business activities (including committee meetings or presentation of lectures, panel discussions, display of products, or other similar activities), and that such program was the principal activity of the convention, general assembly, or trade or business meeting.
(ii) Directly preceding or following. Entertainment which occurs on the same day as a substantial and bona fide business discussion (as defined in subdivision (i) of this subparagraph) will be considered to directly precede or follow such discussion. If the entertainment and the business discussion do not occur on the same day, the facts and circumstances of each case are to be considered, including the place, date and duration of the business discussion, whether the taxpayer or his business associates are from out of town, and, if so, the date of arrival and departure, and the reasons the entertainment did not take place on the day of the business discussion. For example, if a group of business associates comes from out of town to the taxpayer's place of business to hold a substantial business discussion, the entertainment of such business guests and their wives on the evening prior to, or on the evening of the day following, the business discussion would generally be regarded as directly preceding or following such discussion.
(4) Expenses closely connected with directly related entertainment. If any portion of an expenditure meets the requirements of paragraph (c)(3) of this section (relating to directly related entertainment in general), the remaining portion of the expenditure, if it is otherwise allowable under Chapter 1 of the Code, shall be considered associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business to the extent allocable to a person or persons closely connected with a person referred to in paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of this section. The spouse of a person referred to in paragraph(c)(3)(iv) of this section will be considered closely connected to such a person for purposes of this subparagraph. Thus, if a taxpayer and his wife entertain a business customer and the customer's wife under circumstances where the entertainment of the customer is considered directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business (within the meaning of paragraph (c)(3) of this section) the portion of the expenditure allocable to both wives will be considered associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business under this subparagraph.
(e) Expenditures paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to entertainment facilities or before January 1, 1994, with respect to clubs —(1) In general. Any expenditure paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to a facility, or paid or incurred before January 1, 1994, with respect to a club, used in connection with entertainment shall not be allowed as a deduction except to the extent it meets the requirements of paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section.
(2) Facilities used in connection with entertainment —(i) In general. Any item of personal or real property owned, rented, or used by a taxpayer shall (unless otherwise provided under the rules of subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph) be considered to constitute a facility used in connection with entertainment if it is used during the taxable year for, or in connection with, entertainment (as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section). Examples of facilities which might be used for, or in connection with, entertainment include yachts, hunting lodges, fishing camps, swimming pools, tennis courts, bowling alleys, automobiles, airplanes, apartments, hotel suites, and homes in vacation resorts.
(ii) Facilities used incidentally for entertainment. A facility used only incidentally during a taxable year in connection with entertainment, if such use is insubstantial, will not be considered a “facility used in connection with entertainment” for purposes of this section or for purposes of the recordkeeping requirements of section 274(d). See § 1.274-5(c)(6)(iii).
(3) Expenditures with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment —(i) In general. The phrase expenditures with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment includes depreciation and operating costs, such as rent and utility charges (for example, water or electricity), expenses for the maintenance, preservation or protection of a facility (for example, repairs, painting, insurance charges), and salaries or expenses for subsistence paid to caretakers or watchmen. In addition, the phrase includes losses realized on the sale or other disposition of a facility.
(ii) Club dues —( a ) Club dues paid or incurred before January 1, 1994. Dues or fees paid before January 1, 1994, to any social, athletic, or sporting club or organization are considered expenditures with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment. The purposes and activities of a club or organization, and not its name, determine its character. Generally, the phrase social, athletic, or sporting club or organization has the same meaning for purposes of this section as that phrase had in section 4241 and the regulations thereunder, relating to the excise tax on club dues, prior to the repeal of section 4241 by section 301 of Public Law 89-44. However, for purposes of this section only, clubs operated solely to provide lunches under circumstances of a type generally considered to be conducive to business discussion, within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section, will not be considered social clubs.
( b ) Club dues paid or incurred after December 31, 1993. See paragraph (a)(2)(iii) of this section with reference to the disallowance of deductions for club dues paid or incurred after December 31, 1993.
(iii) Expenditures not with respect to a facility. The following expenditures shall not be considered to constitute expenditures with respect to a facility used in connection with entertainment:
( a ) Out of pocket expenditures. Expenses (exclusive of operating costs and other expenses referred to in subdivision (i) of this subparagraph) incurred at the time of an entertainment activity, even though in connection with the use of facility for entertainment purposes, such as expenses for food and beverages, or expenses for catering, or expenses for gasoline and fishing bait consumed on a fishing trip;
( b ) Non-entertainment expenditures. Expenses or items attributable to the use of a facility for other than entertainment purposes such as expenses for an automobile when not used for entertainment; and
( c ) Expenditures otherwise deductible. Expenses allowable as a deduction without regard to their connection with a taxpayer's trade or business such as taxes, interest, and casualty losses. The provisions of this subdivision shall be applied in the case of a taxpayer which is not an individual as if it were an individual. See also § 1.274-6.
(iv) Cross reference. For other rules with respect to treatment of certain expenditures for entertainment-type facilities, see § 1.274-7.
(4) Determination of primary use —(i) In general. A facility used in connection with entertainment shall be considered as used primarily for the furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business only if it is established that the primary use of the facility during the taxable year was for purposes considered ordinary and necessary within the meaning of sections 162 and 212 and the regulations thereunder. All of the facts and circumstances of each case shall be considered in determining the primary use of a facility. Generally, it is the actual use of the facility which establishes the deductibility of expenditures with respect to the facility; not its availability for use and not the taxpayer's principal purpose in acquiring the facility. Objective rather than subjective standards will be determinative. If membership entitles the member's entire family to use of a facility, such as a country club, their use will be considered in determining whether business use of the facility exceeds personal use. The factors to be considered include the nature of each use, the frequency and duration of use for business purposes as compared with other purposes, and the amount of expenditures incurred during use for business compared with amount of expenditures incurred during use for other purposes. No single standard of comparison, or quantitative measurement, as to the significance of any such factor, however, is necessarily appropriate for all classes or types of facilities. For example, an appropriate standard for determining the primary use of a country club during a taxable year will not necessarily be appropriate for determining the primary use of an airplane. However, a taxpayer shall be deemed to have established that a facility was used primarily for the furtherance of his trade or business if he establishes such primary use in accordance with subdivision (ii) or (iii) of this subparagraph. Subdivisions (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph shall not preclude a taxpayer from otherwise establishing the primary use of a facility under the general provisions of this subdivision.
(ii) Certain transportation facilities. A taxpayer shall be deemed to have established that a facility of a type described in this subdivision was used primarily for the furtherance of his trade or business if:
( a ) Automobiles. In the case of an automobile, the taxpayer establishes that more than 50 percent of mileage driven during the taxable year was in connection with travel considered to be ordinary and necessary within the meaning of section 162 or 212 and the regulations thereunder.
( b ) Airplanes. In the case of an airplane, the taxpayer establishes that more than 50 percent of hours flown during the taxable year was in connection with travel considered to be ordinary and necessary within the meaning of section 162 or 212 and the regulations thereunder.
(iii) Entertainment facilities in general. A taxpayer shall be deemed to have established that:
( a ) A facility used in connection with entertainment, such as a yacht or other pleasure boat, hunting lodge, fishing camp, summer home or vacation cottage, hotel suite, country club, golf club or similar social, athletic, or sporting club or organization, bowling alley, tennis court, or swimming pool, or,
( b ) A facility for employees not falling within the scope of section 274(e) (2) or (5) was used primarily for the furtherance of his trade or business if he establishes that more than 50 percent of the total calendar days of use of the facility by, or under authority of, the taxpayer during the taxable year were days of business use. Any use of a facility (of a type described in this subdivision) during one calendar day shall be considered to constitute a “day of business use” if the primary use of the facility on such day was ordinary and necessary within the meaning of section 162 or 212 and the regulations thereunder. For the purposes of this subdivision, a facility shall be deemed to have been primarily used for such pruposes on any one calendar day if the facility was used for the conduct of a substantial and bona fide business discussion (as defined in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section) notwithstanding that the facility may also have been used on the same day for personal or family use by the taxpayer or any member of the taxpayer's family not involving entertainment of others by, or under the authority of, the taxpayer.
(f) Specific exceptions to application of this section —(1) In general. The provisions of paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section (imposing limitations on deductions for entertainment expenses) are not applicable in the case of expenditures set forth in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph. Such expenditures are deductible to the extent allowable under chapter 1 of the Code. This paragraph shall not be construed to affect the allowability or nonallowability of a deduction under section 162 or 212 and the regulations thereunder. The fact that an expenditure is not covered by a specific exception provided for in this paragraph shall not be determinative of the allowability or nonallowability of the expenditure under paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. Expenditures described in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph are subject to the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) to the extent provided in § 1.274-5.
(2) Exceptions. The expenditures referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph are set forth in subdivisions (i) through (ix) of this subparagraph.
(i) Business meals and similar expenditures paid or incurred before January 1, 1987 —( a ) In general. Any expenditure for food or beverages furnished to an individual under circumstances of a type generally considered conducive to business discussion (taking into account the surroundings in which furnished, the taxpayer's trade, business, or income-producing activity, and the relationship to such trade, business or activity of the persons to whom the food or beverages are furnished) is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. There is no requirement that business actually be discussed for this exception to apply.
( b ) Surroundings. The surroundings in which the food or beverages are furnished must be such as would provide an atmosphere where there are no substantial distractions to discussion. This exception applies primarily to expenditures for meals and beverages served during the course of a breakfast, lunch or dinner meeting of the taxpayer and his business associates at a restaurant, hotel dining room, eating club or similar place not involving distracting influences such as a floor show. This exception also applies to expenditures for beverages served apart from meals if the expenditure is incurred in surroundings similarly conducive to business discussion, such as an expenditure for beverages served during the meeting of the taxpayer and his business associates at a cocktail lounge or hotel bar not involving distracting influences such as a floor show. This exception may also apply to expenditures for meals or beverages served in the taxpayer's residence on a clear showing that the expenditure was commercially rather than socially motivated. However, this exception, generally, is not applicable to any expenditure for meals or beverages furnished in circumstances where there are major distractions not conducive to business discussion, such as at night clubs, sporting events, large cocktail parties, sizeable social gatherings, or other major distracting influences.
( c ) Taxpayer's trade or business and relationship of persons entertained. The taxpayer's trade, business, or income-producing activity and the relationship of the persons to whom the food or beverages are served to such trade, business or activity must be such as will reasonably indicate that the food or beverages were furnished for the primary purpose of furthering the taxpayer's trade or business and did not primarily serve a social or personal purpose. Such a business purpose would be indicated, for example, if a salesman employed by a manufacturing supply company meets for lunch during a normal business day with a purchasing agent for a manufacturer which is a prospective customer. Such a purpose would also be indicated if a life insurance agent meets for lunch during a normal business day with a client.
( d ) Business programs. Expenditures for business luncheons or dinners which are part of a business program, or banquets officially sponsored by business or professional associations, will be regarded as expenditures to which the exception of this subdivision (i) applies. In the case of such a business luncheon or dinner it is not always necessary that the taxpayer attend the luncheon or dinner himself. For example, if a dental equipment supplier purchased a table at a dental association banquet for dentists who are actual or prospective customers for his equipment, the cost of the table would not be disallowed under this section. See also paragraph (c)(4) of this section relating to expenditures made in a clear business setting.
(ii) Food and beverages for employees. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for food and beverages (or for use of a facility in connection therewith) furnished on the taxpayer's business premises primarily for his employees is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. This exception applies not only to expenditures for food or beverages furnished in a typical company cafeteria or an executive dining room, but also to expenditures with respect to the operation of such facilities. This exception applies even though guests are occasionally served in the cafeteria or dining room.
(iii) Certain entertainment and travel expenses treated as compensation —(A) In general. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for entertainment (or for use of a facility in connection therewith) or for travel described in section 274(m)(3), if an employee is the recipient of the entertainment or travel, is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section to the extent that the expenditure is treated by the taxpayer—
( 1 ) On the taxpayer's income tax return as originally filed, as compensation paid to the employee; and
( 2 ) As wages to the employee for purposes of withholding under chapter 24 (relating to collection of income tax at source on wages).
(B) Expenses includible in income of persons who are not employees. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for entertainment (or for use of a facility in connection therewith), or for travel described in section 274(m)(3), is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section to the extent the expenditure is includible in gross income as compensation for services rendered, or as a prize or award under section 74, by a recipient of the expenditure who is not an employee of the taxpayer. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any amount paid or incurred by the taxpayer if such amount is required to be included (or would be so required except that the amount is less that $600) in any information return filed by such taxpayer under part III of subchapter A of chapter 61 and is not so included. See section 274(e)(9).
(C) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions this paragraph (f):
(iv) Reimbursed entertainment, food, or beverage expenses —(A) Introduction. In the case of any expenditure for entertainment, amusement, recreation, food, or beverages made by one person in performing services for another person (whether or not the other person is an employer) under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement, the limitations on deductions in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section and section 274(n)(1) apply either to the person who makes the expenditure or to the person who actually bears the expense, but not to both. If an expenditure of a type described in this paragraph (f)(2)(iv) properly constitutes a dividend paid to a shareholder, unreasonable compensation paid to an employee, a personal expense, or other nondeductible expense, nothing in this exception prevents disallowance of the expenditure to the taxpayer under other provisions of the Code.
(B) Reimbursement arrangements involving employees. In the case of an employee's expenditure for entertainment, amusement, recreation, food, or beverages in performing services as an employee under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with a payor (the employer, its agent, or a third party), the limitations on deductions in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section and section 274(n)(1) apply—
( 1 ) To the employee to the extent the employer treats the reimbursement or other payment of the expense on the employer's income tax return as originally filed as compensation paid to the employee and as wages to the employee for purposes of withholding under chapter 24 (relating to collection of income tax at source on wages); or
( 2 ) To the payor to the extent the reimbursement or other payment of the expense is not treated as compensation and wages paid to the employee in the manner provided in paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B)( 1 ) of this section (however, see paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section if the payor receives a payment from a third party that may be treated as a reimbursement arrangement under that paragraph).
(C) Reimbursement arrangements involving persons that are not employees. In the case of an expense for entertainment, amusement, recreation, food, or beverages of a person who is not an employee (referred to as an independent contractor) in performing services for another person (a client or customer) under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with the person, the limitations on deductions in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section and section 274(n)(1) apply to the party expressly identified in an agreement between the parties as subject to the limitations. If an agreement between the parties does not expressly identify the party subject to the limitations, the limitations apply—
( 1 ) To the independent contractor (which may be a payor described in paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B) of this section) to the extent the independent contractor does not account to the client or customer within the meaning of section 274(d) and the associated regulations; or
( 2 ) To the client or customer if the independent contractor accounts to the client or customer within the meaning of section 274(d) and the associated regulations. See also § 1.274-5.
(D) Reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement. The term reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement means—
( 1 ) For purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, an arrangement under which an employee receives an advance, allowance, or reimbursement from a payor (the employer, its agent, or a third party) for expenses the employee pays or incurs; and
( 2 ) For purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section, an arrangement under which an independent contractor receives an advance, allowance, or reimbursement from a client or customer for expenses the independent contractor pays or incurs if either—
( a ) A written agreement between the parties expressly states that the client or customer will reimburse the independent contractor for expenses that are subject to the limitations on deductions in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section and section 274(n)(1); or
( b ) A written agreement between the parties expressly identifies the party subject to the limitations.
(E) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of this paragraph (f)(2)(iv).
(ii) Under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(D)( 1 ) of this section, Y and L have established a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement for purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B) of this section. Because the reimbursement payment is not treated as compensation and wages paid to Y, under section 274(e)(3)(A) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B)( 1 ) of this section, Y is not subject to the section 274 deduction limitations. Instead, under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(B)( 2 ) of this section, L, the payor, is subject to the section 274 deduction limitations unless L can meet the requirements of section 274(e)(3)(B) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section.
(iii) Because the agreement between L and C expressly states that C will reimburse L for substantiated reimbursements for travel expenses that L pays to Y, under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(D)( 2 )( a ) of this section, L and C have established a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement for purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section. L accounts to C for C's reimbursement in the manner required by section 274(d) by delivering to C a copy of the substantiation L received from Y. Therefore, under section 274(e)(3)(B) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C)( 2 ) of this section, C and not L is subject to the section 274 deduction limitations.
(ii) Under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(D)( 1 ) of this section, Y and C have established a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement for purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section. Because Y substantiates directly to C and the reimbursement payment was not treated as compensation and wages paid to Y, under section 274(e)(3)(A) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C)( 1 ) of this section Y is not subject to the section 274 deduction limitations. Under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C)( 2 ) of this section, C, the payor, is subject to the section 274 deduction limitations.
(ii) Under paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(D)( 2 )( b ) of this section, L and C have established a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement for purposes of paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section. Because the agreement provides that the 274 deduction limitations apply to C, under section 274(e)(3)(B) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(C) of this section, C and not L is subject to the section 274 deduction limitations.
(ii) The arrangement between L and C is not a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement within the meaning of section 274(e)(3)(B) and paragraph (f)(2)(iv)(D)( 2 ) of this section. Therefore, even though L accounts to C for the expenses, L is subject to the section 274 deduction limitations.
(F) Effective/applicability date. This paragraph (f)(2)(iv) applies to expenses paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after August 1, 2013.
(v) Recreational expenses for employees generally. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for a recreational, social, or similar activity (or for use of a facility in connection therewith), primarily for the benefit of his employees generally, is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. This exception applies only to expenditures made primarily for the benefit of employees of the taxpayer other than employees who are officers, shareholders on other owners who own a 10-percent or greater interest in the business, or other highly compensated employees. For purposes of the preceding sentence, an employee shall be treated as owning any interest owned by a member of his family (within the meaning of section 267(c)(4) and the regulations thereunder). Ordinarily, this exception applies to usual employee benefit programs such as expenses of a taxpayer ( a ) in holding Christmas parties, annual picnics, or summer outings, for his employees generally, or ( b ) of maintaining a swimming pool, baseball diamond, bowling alley, or golf course available to his employees generally. Any expenditure for an activity which is made under circumstances which discriminate in favor of employees who are officers, shareholders or other owners, or highly compensated employees shall not be considered made primarily for the benefit of employees generally. On the other hand, an expenditure for an activity will not be considered outside of this exception merely because, due to the large number of employees involved, the activity is intended to benefit only a limited number of such employees at one time, provided the activity does not discriminate in favor of officers, shareholders, other owners, or highly compensated employees.
(vi) Employee, stockholder, etc., business meetings. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for entertainment which is directly related to bona fide business meetings of the taxpayer's employees, stockholders, agents, or directors held principally for discussion of trade or business is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. For purposes of this exception, a partnership is to be considered a taxpayer and a member of a partnership is to be considered an agent. For example, an expenditure by a taxpayer to furnish refreshments to his employees at a bona fide meeting, sponsored by the taxpayer for the principal purpose of instructing them with respect to a new procedure for conducting his business, would be within the provisions of this exception. A similar expenditure made at a bona fide meeting of stockholders of the taxpayer for the election of directors and discussion of corporate affairs would also be within the provisions of this exception. While this exception will apply to bona fide business meetings even though some social activities are provided, it will not apply to meetings which are primarily for social or nonbusiness purposes rather than for the transaction of the taxpayer's business. A meeting under circumstances where there was little or no possibility of engaging in the active conduct of trade or business (as described in paragraph (c)(7) of this section) generally will not be considered a business meeting for purposes of this subdivision. This exception will not apply to a meeting or convention of employees or agents, or similar meeting for directors, partners or others for the principal purpose of rewarding them for their services to the taxpayer. However, such a meeting or convention of employees might come within the scope of subdivisions (iii) or (v) of this subparagraph.
(vii) Meetings of business leagues, etc. Any expenditure for entertainment directly related and necessary to attendance at bona fide business meetings or conventions of organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(6) of the Code, such as business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, boards of trade, and certain professional associations, is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.
(viii) Items available to the public. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for entertainment (or for a facility in connection therewith) to the extent the entertainment is made available to the general public is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. Expenditures for entertainment of the general public by means of television, radio, newspapers and the like, will come within this exception, as will expenditures for distributing samples to the general public. Similarly, expenditures for maintaining private parks, golf courses and similar facilities, to the extent that they are available for public use, will come within this exception. For example, if a corporation maintains a swimming pool which it makes available for a period of time each week to children participating in a local public recreational program, the portion of the expense relating to such public use of the pool will come within this exception.
(ix) Entertainment sold to customers. Any expenditure by a taxpayer for entertainment (or for use of a facility in connection therewith) to the extent the entertainment is sold to customers in a bona fide transaction for an adequate and full consideration in money or money's worth is not subject to the limitations on allowability of deductions provided for in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. Thus, the cost of producing night club entertainment (such as salaries paid to employees of night clubs and amounts paid to performers) for sale to customers or the cost of operating a pleasure cruise ship as a business will come within this exception.
(g) Additional provisions of section 274—travel of spouse, dependent or others. Section 274(m)(3) provides that no deduction shall be allowed under this chapter (except section 217) for travel expenses paid or incurred with respect to a spouse, dependent, or other individual accompanying the taxpayer (or an officer or employee of the taxpayer) on business travel, unless certain conditions are met. As provided in section 274(m)(3), the term other individual does not include a business associate (as defined in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section) who otherwise meets the requirements of sections 274(m)(3)(B) and (C).
§ 1.274-3   Disallowance of deduction for gifts.
(a) In general. No deduction shall be allowed under section 162 or 212 for any expense for a gift made directly or indirectly by a taxpayer to any individual to the extent that such expense, when added to prior expenses of the taxpayer for gifts made to such individual during the taxpayer's taxable year, exceeds $25.
(b) Gift defined —(1) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph the term gift, for purposes of this section, means any item excludable from the gross income of the recipient under section 102 which is not excludable from his gross income under any other provision of chapter 1 of the Code. Thus, a payment by an employer to a deceased employee's widow is not a gift, for purposes of this section, to the extent the payment constitutes an employee's death benefit excludable by the recipient under section 101(b). Similarly, a scholarship which is excludable from a recipient's gross income under section 117, and a prize or award which is excludable from a recipient's gross income under section 74(b), are not subject to the provisions of this section.
(2) Items not treated as gifts. The term gift, for purposes of this section, does not include the following:
(i) An item having a cost to the taxpayer not in excess of $4.00 on which the name of the taxpayer is clearly and permanently imprinted and which is one of a number of identical items distributed generally by such a taxpayer.
(ii) A sign, display rack, or other promotional material to be used on the business premises of the recipient, or
(iii) In the case of a taxable year of a taxpayer ending on or after August 13, 1981, an item of tangible personal property which is awarded before January 1, 1987, to an employee of the taxpayer by reason of the employee's length of service (including an award upon retirement), productivity, or safety achievement, but only to the extent that—
(A) The cost of the item to the taxpayer does not exceed $400; or
(B) The item is a qualified plan award (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section); or
(iv) In the case of a taxable year of a taxpayer ending before August 13, 1981, an item of tangible personal property having a cost to the taxpayer not in excess of $100 which is awarded to an employee of the taxpayer by reason of the employee's length of service (including an award upon retirement) or safety achievement.
(c) Expense for a gift. For purposes of this section, the term expense for a gift means the cost of the gift to the taxpayer, other than incidental costs such as for customary engraving on jewelry, or for packaging, insurance, and mailing or other delivery. A related cost will be considered “incidental” only if it does not add substantial value to the gift. Although the cost of customary gift wrapping will be considered an incidental cost, the purchase of an ornamental basket for packaging fruit will not be considered an incidental cost of packaging if the basket has a value which is substantial in relation to the value of the fruit.
(d) Qualified plan award —(1) In general. Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph the term qualified plan award, for purposes of this section, means an item of tangible personal property that is awarded to an employee by reason of the employee's length of service (including retirement), productivity, or safety achievement, and that is awarded pursuant to a permanent, written award plan or program of the taxpayer that does not discriminate as to eligibility or benefits in favor of employees who are officers, shareholders, or highly compensated employees. The “permanency” of an award plan shall be determined from all the facts and circumstances of the particular case, including the taxpayer's ability to continue to make the awards as required by the award plan. Although the taxpayer may reserve the right to change or to terminate an award plan, the actual termination of the award plan for any reason other than business necessity within a few years after it has taken effect may be evidence that the award plan from its inception was not a “permanent” award plan. Whether or not an award plan is discriminatory shall be determined from all the facts and circumstances of the particular case. An award plan may fail to qualify because it is discriminatory in its actual operation even though the written provisions of the award plan are not discriminatory.
(2) Items not treated as qualified plan awards. The term qualified plan award, for purposes of this section, does not include an item qualifying under paragraph (d)(1) of this section to the extent that the cost of the item exceeds $1,600. In addition, that term does not include any items qualifying under paragraph (d)(1) of this section if the average cost of all items (whether or not tangible personal property) awarded during the taxable year by the taxpayer under any plan described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section exceeds $400. The average cost of those items shall be computed by dividing (i) the sum of the costs for those items (including amounts in excess of the $1,600 limitation) by (ii) the total number of those items.
(e) Gifts made indirectly to an individual —(1) Gift to spouse or member of family. If a taxpayer makes a gift to the wife of a man who has a business connection with the taxpayer, the gift generally will be considered as made indirectly to the husband. However, if the wife has a bona fide business connection with the taxpayer independently of her relationship to her husband, a gift to her generally will not be considered as made indirectly to her husband unless the gift is intended for his eventual use or benefit. Thus, if a taxpayer makes a gift to a wife who is engaged with her husband in the active conduct of a partnership business, the gift to the wife will not be considered an indirect gift to her husband unless it is intended for his eventual use or benefit. The same rules apply to gifts to any other member of the family of an individual who has a business connection with the taxpayer.
(2) Gift to corporation or other business entity. If a taxpayer makes a gift to a corporation or other business entity intended for the eventual personal use or benefit of an individual who is an employee, stockholder, or other owner of the corporation or business entity, the gift generally will be considered as made indirectly to such individual. Thus, if a taxpayer provides theater tickets to a closely held corporation for eventual use by any one of the stockholders of the corporation, and if such tickets are gifts, the gifts will be considered as made indirectly to the individual who eventually uses such ticket. On the other hand, a gift to a business organization of property to be used in connection with the business of the organization (for example, a technical manual) will not be considered as a gift to an individual, even though, in practice, the book will be used principally by a readily identifiable individual employee. A gift for the eventual personal use or benefit of some undesignated member of a large group of individuals generally will not be considered as made indirectly to the individual who eventually uses, or benefits from, such gifts unless, under the circumstances of the case, it is reasonably practicable for the taxpayer to ascertain the ultimate recipient of the gift. Thus, if a taxpayer provides several baseball tickets to a corporation for the eventual use by any one of a large number of employees or customers of the corporation, and if such tickets are gifts, the gifts generally will not be treated as made indirectly to the individuals who use such tickets.
(f) Special rules —(1) Partnership. In the case of a gift by a partnership, the $25 annual limitation contained in paragraph (a) of this section shall apply to the partnership as well as to each member of the partnership. Thus, in the case of a gift made by a partner with respect to the business of the partnership, the $25 limitation will be applied at the partnership level as well as at the level of the individual partner. Consequently, deductions for gifts made with respect to partnership business will not exceed $25 annually for each recipient, regardless of the number of partners.
(2) Husband and wife. For purposes of applying the $25 annual limitation contained in paragraph (a) of this section, a husband and wife shall be treated as one taxpayer. Thus, in the case of gifts to an individual by a husband and wife, the spouses will be treated as one donor; and they are limited to a deduction of $25 annually for each recipient. This rule applies regardless of whether the husband and wife file a joint return or whether the husband and wife make separate gifts to an individual with respect to separate businesses. Since the term taxpayer in paragraph (a) of this section refers only to the donor of a gift, this special rule does not apply to treat a husband and wife as one individual where each is a recipient of a gift. See paragraph (e)(1) of this section.
(g) Cross reference. For rules with respect to whether this section or § 1.274-2 applies, see § 1.274-2(b)(1) (iii).
§ 1.274-4   Disallowance of certain foreign travel expenses.
(a) Introductory. Section 274(c) and this section impose certain restrictions on the deductibility of travel expenses incurred in the case of an individual who, while traveling outside the United States away from home in the pursuit of trade or business (hereinafter termed “business activity”), engages in substantial personal activity not attributable to such trade or business (hereinafter termed “nonbusiness activity”). Section 274(c) and this section are limited in their application to individuals (whether or not an employee or other person traveling under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement) who engage in nonbusiness activity while traveling outside the United States away from home, and do not impose restrictions on the deductibility of travel expenses incurred by an employer or client under an advance, reimbursement, or other arrangement with the individual who engages in nonbusiness activity. For purposes of this section, the term United States includes only the States and the District of Columbia, and any reference to “trade or business” or “business activity” includes any activity described in section 212. For rules governing the determination of travel outside the United States away from home, see paragraph (e) of this section. For rules governing the disallowance of travel expense to which this section applies, see paragraph (f) of this section.
(b) Limitations on application of section. The restrictions on deductibility of travel expenses contained in paragraph (f) of this section are applicable only if:
(1) The travel expense is otherwise deductible under section 162 or 212 and the regulations thereunder,
(2) The travel expense is for travel outside the United States away from home which exceeds 1 week (as determined under paragraph (c) of this section), and
(3) The time outside the United States away from home attributable to nonbusiness activity (as determined under paragraph (d) of this section) constitutes 25 percent or more of the total time on such travel.
(c) Travel in excess of 1 week. This section does not apply to an expense of travel unless the expense is for travel outside the United States away from home which exceeds 1 week. For purposes of this section, 1 week means 7 consecutive days. The day in which travel outside the United States away from home begins shall not be considered, but the day in which such travel ends shall be considered, in determining whether a taxpayer is outside the United States away from home for more than 7 consecutive days. For example, if a taxpayer departs on travel outside the United States away from home on a Wednesday morning and ends such travel the following Wednesday evening, he shall be considered as being outside the United States away from home only 7 consecutive days. In such a case, this section would not apply because the taxpayer was not outside the United States away from home for more than 7 consecutive days. However, if the taxpayer travels outside the United States away from home for more than 7 consecutive days, both the day such travel begins and the day such travel ends shall be considered a “business day” or a “nonbusiness day”, as the case may be, for purposes of determining whether nonbusiness activity constituted 25 percent or more of travel time under paragraph (d) of this section and for purposes of allocating expenses under paragraph (f) of this section. For purposes of determining whether travel is outside the United States away from home, see paragraph (e) of this section.
(d) Nonbusiness activity constituting 25 percent or more of travel time —(1) In general. This section does not apply to any expense of travel outside the United States away from home unless the portion of time outside the United States away from home attributable to nonbusiness activity constitutes 25 percent or more of the total time on such travel.
(2) Allocation on per day basis. The total time traveling outside the United States away from home will be allocated on a day-by-day basis to (i) days of business activity or (ii) days of nonbusiness activity (hereinafter termed “business days” or “nonbusiness days” respectively) unless the taxpayer establishes that a different method of allocation more clearly reflects the portion of time outside the United States away from home which is attributable to nonbusiness activity. For purposes of this section, a day spent outside the United States away from home shall be deemed entirely a business day even though spent only in part on business activity if the taxpayer establishes:
(i) Transportation days. That on such day the taxpayer was traveling to or returning from a destination outside the United States away from home in the pursuit of trade or business. However, if for purposes of engaging in nonbusiness activity, the taxpayer while traveling outside the United States away from home does not travel by a reasonably direct route, only that number of days shall be considered business days as would be required for the taxpayer, using the same mode of transportation, to travel to or return from the same destination by a reasonably direct route. Also, if, while so traveling, the taxpayer interrupts the normal course of travel by engaging in substantial diversions for nonbusiness reasons of his own choosing, only that number of days shall be considered business days as equals the number of days required for the taxpayer, using the same mode of transportation, to travel to or return from the same destination without engaging in such diversion. For example, if a taxpayer residing in New York departs on an evening on a direct flight to Quebec for a business meeting to be held in Quebec the next morning, for purposes of determining whether nonbusiness activity constituted 25 percent or more of his travel time, the entire day of his departure shall be considered a business day. On the other hand, if a taxpayer travels by automobile from New York to Quebec to attend a business meeting and while en route spends 2 days in Ottawa and 1 day in Montreal on nonbusiness activities of his personal choice, only that number of days outside the United States shall be considered business days as would have been required for the taxpayer to drive by a reasonably direct route to Quebec, taking into account normal periods for rest and meals.
(ii) Presence required. That on such day his presence outside the United States away from home was required at a particular place for a specific and bona fide business purpose. For example, if a taxpayer is instructed by his employer to attend a specific business meeting, the day of the meeting shall be considered a business day even though, because of the scheduled length of the meeting, the taxpayer spends more time during normal working hours of the day on nonbusiness activity than on business activity.
(iii) Days primarily business. That during hours normally considered to be appropriate for business activity, his principal activity on such day was the pursuit of trade or business.
(iv) Circumstances beyond control. That on such day he was prevented from engaging in the conduct of trade or business as his principal activity due to circumstances beyond his control.
(v) Weekends, holidays, etc. That such day was a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or other reasonably necessary standby day which intervened during that course of the taxpayer's trade or business while outside the United States away from home which the taxpayer endeavored to conduct with reasonable dispatch. For example, if a taxpayer travels from New York to London to take part in business negotiations beginning on a Wednesday and concluding on the following Tuesday, the intervening Saturday and Sunday shall be considered business days whether or not business is conducted on either of such days. Similarly, if in the above case the meetings which concluded on Tuesday evening were followed by business meetings with another business group in London on the immediately succeeding Thursday and Friday, the intervening Wednesday will be deemed a business day. However, if at the conclusion of the business meetings on Friday, the taxpayer stays in London for an additional week for personal purposes, the Saturday and Sunday following the conclusion of the business meeting will not be considered business days.
(e) Domestic travel excluded —(1) In general. For purposes of this section, travel outside the United States away from home does not include any travel from one point in the United States to another point in the United States. However, travel which is not from one point in the United States to another point in the United States shall be considered travel outside the United States. If a taxpayer travels from a place within the United States to a place outside the United States, the portion, if any, of such travel which is from one point in the United States to another point in the United States is to be disregarded for purposes of determining:
(i) Whether the taxpayer's travel outside the United States away from home exceeds 1 week (see paragraph (c) of this section),
(ii) Whether the time outside the United States away from home attributable to nonbusiness activity constitutes 25 percent or more of the total time on such travel (see paragraph (d) of this section), or
(iii) The amount of travel expense subject to the allocation rules of this section (see paragraph (f) of this section).
(2) Determination of travel from one point in the United States to another point in the United States. In the case of the following means of transportation, travel from one point in the United States to another point in the United States shall be determined as follows:
(i) Travel by public transportation. In the case of travel by public transportation, any place in the United States at which the vehicle makes a scheduled stop for the purpose of adding or discharging passengers shall be considered a point in the United States.
(ii) Travel by private automobile. In the case of travel by private automobile, any such travel which is within the United States shall be considered travel from one point in the United States to another point in the United States.
(iii) Travel by private airplane. In the case of travel by private airplane, any flight, whether or not constituting the entire trip, where both the takeoff and the landing are within the United States shall be considered travel from one point in the United States to another point in the United States.
(3) Examples. The provisions of subparagraph (2) may be illustrated by the following examples:
(f) Application of disallowance rules —(1) In general. In the case of expense for travel outside the United States away from home by an individual to which this section applies, except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (4) or (5) of this paragraph, no deduction shall be allowed for that amount of travel expense specified in subparagraph (2) or (3) of this paragraph (whichever is applicable) which is obtained by multiplying the total of such travel expense by a fraction:
(i) The numerator of which is the number of nonbusiness days during such travel, and
(ii) The denominator of which is the total number of business days and nonbusiness days during such travel.
(2) Nonbusiness activity at, near, or beyond business destination. If the place at which the individual engages in nonbusiness activity (hereinafter termed “nonbusiness destination”) is at, near, or beyond the place to which he travels in the pursuit of a trade or business (hereinafter termed “business destination”), the amount of travel expense referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall be the amount of travel expense, otherwise allowable as a deduction under section 162 or section 212, which would have been incurred in traveling from the place where travel outside the United States away from home begins to the business destination, and returning. Thus, if the individual travels from New York to London on business, and then takes a vacation in Paris before returning to New York, the amount of the travel expense subject to allocation is the expense which would have been incurred in traveling from New York to London and returning.
(3) Nonbusiness activity on the route to or from business destination. If the nonbusiness destination is on the route to or from the business destination, the amount of the travel expense referred to in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall be the amount of travel expense, otherwise allowable as a deduction under section 162 or 212, which would have been incurred in traveling from the place where travel outside the United States away from home begins to the nonbusiness destination and returning. Thus, if the individual travels on business from Chicago to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a scheduled stop in New York for the purpose of adding and discharging passengers, and while en route stops in Caracas, Venezuela for a vacation and returns to Chicago from Rio de Janeiro with another scheduled stop in New York for the purpose of adding and discharging passengers, the amount of travel expense subject to allocation is the expense which would have been incurred in traveling from New York to Caracas and returning.
(4) Other allocation method. If a taxpayer establishes that a method other than allocation on a day-by-day basis (as determined under paragraph (d)(2) of this section) more clearly reflects the portion of time outside the United States away from home which is attributable to nonbusiness activity, the amount of travel expense for which no deduction shall be allowed shall be determined by such other method.
(5) Travel expense deemed entirely allocable to business activity. Expenses of travel shall be considered allocable in full to business activity, and no portion of such expense shall be subject to disallowance under this section, if incurred under circumstances provided for in subdivision (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph.
(i) Lack of control over travel. Expenses of travel otherwise deductible under section 162 or 212 shall be considered fully allocable to business activity if, considering all the facts and circumstances, the individual incurring such expenses did not have substantial control over the arranging of the business trip. A person who is required to travel to a business destination will not be considered to have substantial control over the arranging of the business trip merely because he has control over the timing of the trip. Any individual who travels on behalf of his employer under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement shall be considered not to have had substantial control over the arranging of his business trip, provided the employee is not:
( a ) A managing executive of the employer for whom he is traveling (and for this purpose the term managing executive includes only an employee who, by reason of his authority and responsibility, is authorized, without effective veto procedures, to decide upon the necessity for his business trip), or
( b ) Related to his employer within the meaning of section 267(b) but for this purpose the percentage referred to in section 267(b)(2) shall be 10 percent.
(ii) Lack of major consideration to obtain a vacation. Any expense of travel, which qualifies for deduction under section 162 or 212, shall be considered fully allocable to business activity if the individual incurring such expenses can establish that, considering all the facts and circumstances, he did not have a major consideration, in determining to make the trip, of obtaining a personal vacation or holiday. If such a major consideration were present, the provisions of subparagraphs (1) through (4) of this paragraph shall apply. However, if the trip were primarily personal in nature, the traveling expenses to and from the destination are not deductible even though the taxpayer engages in business activities while at such destination. See paragraph (b) of § 1.162-2.
(g) Examples. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
(h) Cross reference. For rules with respect to whether an expense is travel or entertainment, see paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of § 1.274-2.
§ 1.274-5   Substantiation requirements.
(a)-(b) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(a) and (b).
(c) Rules of substantiation —(1) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(c)(1).
(2) Substantiation by adequate records —(i) and (ii) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(c)(2)(i) and (ii).
(iii) Documentary evidence —(A) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(B), documentary evidence, such as receipts, paid bills, or similar evidence sufficient to support an expenditure, is required for—
( 1 ) Any expenditure for lodging while traveling away from home, and
( 2 ) Any other expenditure of $75 or more except, for transportation charges, documentary evidence will not be required if not readily available.
(B) The Commissioner, in his or her discretion, may prescribe rules waiving the documentary evidence requirements in circumstances where it is impracticable for such documentary evidence to be required. Ordinarily, documentary evidence will be considered adequate to support an expenditure if it includes sufficient information to establish the amount, date, place, and the essential character of the expenditure. For example, a hotel receipt is sufficient to support expenditures for business travel if it contains the following: name, location, date, and separate amounts for charges such as for lodging, meals, and telephone. Similarly, a restaurant receipt is sufficient to support an expenditure for a business meal if it contains the following: name and location of the restaurant, the date and amount of the expenditure, the number of people served, and, if a charge is made for an item other than meals and beverages, an indication that such is the case. A document may be indicative of only one (or part of one) element of an expenditure. Thus, a cancelled check, together with a bill from the payee, ordinarily would establish the element of cost. In contrast, a cancelled check drawn payable to a named payee would not by itself support a business expenditure without other evidence showing that the check was used for a certain business purpose.
(iv)-(v) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(c)(2)(iv) and (v).
(3)-(7) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(c)(3) through (7).
(d)-(e) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(d) and (e).
(f) Reporting and substantiation of expenses of certain employees for travel, entertainment, gifts, and with respect to listed property —(1) through (3) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(f)(1) through (3).
(4) Definition of an adequate accounting to the employer —(i) In general. For purposes of this paragraph (f) an adequate accounting means the submission to the employer of an account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record maintained by the employee in which the information as to each element of an expenditure or use (described in paragraph (b) of this section) is recorded at or near the time of the expenditure or use, together with supporting documentary evidence, in a manner that conforms to all the adequate records requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of this section. An adequate accounting requires that the employee account for all amounts received from the employer during the taxable year as advances, reimbursements, or allowances (including those charged directly or indirectly to the employer through credit cards or otherwise) for travel, entertainment, gifts, and the use of listed property. The methods of substantiation allowed under paragraph (c)(4) or (c)(5) of this section also will be considered to be an adequate accounting if the employer accepts an employee's substantiation and establishes that such substantiation meets the requirements of paragraph (c)(4) or (c)(5). For purposes of an adequate accounting, the method of substantiation allowed under paragraph (c)(3) of this section will not be permitted.
(ii) Procedures for adequate accounting without documentary evidence. The Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, prescribe rules under which an employee may make an adequate accounting to an employer by submitting an account book, log, diary, etc., alone, without submitting documentary evidence.
(iii) Employer. For purposes of this section, the term employer includes an agent of the employer or a third party payor who pays amounts to an employee under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement.
(5) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(f)(5).
(g) Substantiation by reimbursement arrangements or per diem, mileage, and other traveling allowances —(1) In general. The Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, prescribe rules in pronouncements of general applicability under which allowances for expenses described in paragraph (g)(2) of this section will, if in accordance with reasonable business practice, be regarded as equivalent to substantiation by adequate records or other sufficient evidence, for purposes of paragraph (c) of this section, of the amount of the expenses and as satisfying, with respect to the amount of the expenses, the requirements of an adequate accounting to the employer for purposes of paragraph (f)(4) of this section. If the total allowance received exceeds the deductible expenses paid or incurred by the employee, such excess must be reported as income on the employee's return. See paragraph (j)(1) of this section relating to the substantiation of meal expenses while traveling away from home, and paragraph (j)(2) of this section relating to the substantiation of expenses for the business use of a vehicle.
(2) Allowances for expenses described. An allowance for expenses is described in this paragraph (g)(2) if it is a—
(i) Reimbursement arrangement covering ordinary and necessary expenses of traveling away from home (exclusive of transportation expenses to and from destination);
(ii) Per diem allowance providing for ordinary and necessary expenses of traveling away from home (exclusive of transportation costs to and from destination); or
(iii) Mileage allowance providing for ordinary and necessary expenses of local transportation and transportation to, from, and at the destination while traveling away from home.
(h) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5T(h).
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Authority for optional methods of computing certain expenses —(1) Meal expenses while traveling away from home. The Commissioner may establish a method under which a taxpayer may use a specified amount or amounts for meals while traveling away from home in lieu of substantiating the actual cost of meals. The taxpayer will not be relieved of the requirement to substantiate the actual cost of other travel expenses as well as the time, place, and business purpose of the travel. See paragraphs (b)(2) and (c) of this section.
(2) Use of mileage rates for vehicle expenses. The Commissioner may establish a method under which a taxpayer may use mileage rates to determine the amount of the ordinary and necessary expenses of using a vehicle for local transportation and transportation to, from, and at the destination while traveling away from home in lieu of substantiating the actual costs. The method may include appropriate limitations and conditions in order to reflect more accurately vehicle expenses over the entire period of usage. The taxpayer will not be relieved of the requirement to substantiate the amount of each business use (i.e., the business mileage), or the time and business purpose of each use. See paragraphs (b)(2) and (c) of this section.
(3) Incidental expenses while traveling away from home. The Commissioner may establish a method under which a taxpayer may use a specified amount or amounts for incidental expenses paid or incurred while traveling away from home in lieu of substantiating the actual cost of incidental expenses. The taxpayer will not be relieved of the requirement to substantiate the actual cost of other travel expenses as well as the time, place, and business purpose of the travel.
(k) Exceptions for qualified nonpersonal use vehicles —(1) In general. The substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and this section do not apply to any qualified nonpersonal use vehicle (as defined in paragraph (k)(2) of this section).
(2) Qualified nonpersonal use vehicle —(i) In general. For purposes of section 274(d) and this section, the term qualified nonpersonal use vehicle means any vehicle which, by reason of its nature (that is, design), is not likely to be used more than a de minimis amount for personal purposes.
(ii) List of vehicles. Vehicles which are qualified nonpersonal use vehicles include the following:
(A) Clearly marked police, fire, and public safety officer vehicles (as defined and to the extent provided in paragraph (k)(3) of this section).
(B) Ambulances used as such or hearses used as such.
(C) Any vehicle designed to carry cargo with a loaded gross vehicle weight over 14,000 pounds.
(D) Bucket trucks (cherry pickers).
(E) Cement mixers.
(F) Combines.
(G) Cranes and derricks.
(H) Delivery trucks with seating only for the driver, or only for the driver plus a folding jump seat.
(I) Dump trucks (including garbage trucks).
(J) Flatbed trucks.
(K) Forklifts.
(L) Passenger buses used as such with a capacity of at least 20 passengers.
(M) Qualified moving vans (as defined in paragraph (k)(4) of this section).
(N) Qualified specialized utility repair trucks (as defined in paragraph (k)(5) of this section).
(O) Refrigerated trucks.
(P) School buses (as defined in section 4221(d)(7)(c)).
(Q) Tractors and other special purpose farm vehicles.
(R) Unmarked vehicles used by law enforcement officers (as defined in paragraph (k)(6) of this section) if the use is officially authorized.
(S) Such other vehicles as the Commissioner may designate.
(3) Clearly marked police, fire, or public safety officer vehicles. A police, fire, or public safety officer vehicle is a vehicle, owned or leased by a governmental unit, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, that is required to be used for commuting by a police officer, fire fighter, or public safety officer (as defined in section 402(l)(4)(C) of this chapter) who, when not on a regular shift, is on call at all times, provided that any personal use (other than commuting) of the vehicle outside the limit of the police officer's arrest powers or the fire fighter's or public safety officer's obligation to respond to an emergency is prohibited by such governmental unit. A police, fire, or public safety officer vehicle is clearly marked if, through painted insignia or words, it is readily apparent that the vehicle is a police, fire, or public safety officer vehicle. A marking on a license plate is not a clear marking for purposes of this paragraph (k).
(4) Qualified moving van. The term qualified moving van means any truck or van used by a professional moving company in the trade or business of moving household or business goods if—
(i) No personal use of the van is allowed other than for travel to and from a move site (or for de minimis personal use, such as a stop for lunch on the way between two move sites);
(ii) Personal use for travel to and from a move site is an irregular practice (that is, not more than five times a month on average); and
(iii) Personal use is limited to situations in which it is more convenient to the employer, because of the location of the employee's residence in relation to the location of the move site, for the van not to be returned to the employer's business location.
(5) Qualified specialized utility repair truck. The term qualified specialized utility repair truck means any truck (not including a van or pickup truck) specifically designed and used to carry heavy tools, testing equipment, or parts if—
(i) The shelves, racks, or other permanent interior construction which has been installed to carry and store such heavy items is such that it is unlikely that the truck will be used more than a de minimis amount for personal purposes; and
(ii) The employer requires the employee to drive the truck home in order to be able to respond in emergency situations for purposes of restoring or maintaining electricity, gas, telephone, water, sewer, or steam utility services.
(6) Unmarked law enforcement vehicles —(i) In general. The substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and this section do not apply to officially authorized uses of an unmarked vehicle by a “law enforcement officer”. To qualify for this exception, any personal use must be authorized by the Federal, State, county, or local governmental agency or department that owns or leases the vehicle and employs the officer, and must be incident to law-enforcement functions, such as being able to report directly from home to a stakeout or surveillance site, or to an emergency situation. Use of an unmarked vehicle for vacation or recreation trips cannot qualify as an authorized use.
(ii) Law enforcement officer. The term law enforcement officer means an individual who is employed on a full-time basis by a governmental unit that is responsible for the prevention or investigation of crime involving injury to persons or property (including apprehension or detention of persons for such crimes), who is authorized by law to carry firearms, execute search warrants, and to make arrests (other than merely a citizen's arrest), and who regularly carries firearms (except when it is not possible to do so because of the requirements of undercover work). The term “law enforcement officer” may include an arson investigator if the investigator otherwise meets the requirements of this paragraph (k)(6)(ii), but does not include Internal Revenue Service special agents.
(7) Trucks and vans. The substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and this section apply generally to any pickup truck or van, unless the truck or van has been specially modified with the result that it is not likely to be used more than a de minimis amount for personal purposes. For example, a van that has only a front bench for seating, in which permanent shelving that fills most of the cargo area has been installed, that constantly carries merchandise or equipment, and that has been specially painted with advertising or the company's name, is a vehicle not likely to be used more than a de minimis amount for personal purposes.
(8) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of paragraph (k)(3) and (6) of this section:
(l) Definitions. For purposes of section 274(d) and this section, the terms automobile and vehicle have the same meanings as prescribed in § 1.61-21(d)(1)(ii) and (e)(2), respectively. Also, for purposes of section 274(d) and this section, the terms employer, employee and personal use have the same meanings as prescribed in § 1.274-6T(e).
(m) Effective date. This section applies to expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 1997. However, paragraph (j)(3) of this section applies to expenses paid or incurred after September 30, 2002, and paragraph (k) applies to clearly marked public safety officer vehicles, as defined in § 1.274-5(k)(3), only with respect to uses occurring after May 19, 2010.
§ 1.274-5T   Substantiation requirements (temporary).
(a) In general. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1986, no deduction or credit shall be allowed with respect to—
(1) Traveling away from home (including meals and lodging),
(2) Any activity which is of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment, amusement, or recreation, or with respect to a facility used in connection with such an activity, including the items specified in section 274(e),
(3) Gifts defined in section 274(b), or
(4) Any listed property (as defined in section 280F(d)(4) and § 1.280F-6T(b)), unless the taxpayer substantiates each element of the expenditure or use (as described in paragraph (b) of this section) in the manner provided in paragraph (c) of this section. This limitation supersedes the doctrine found in Cohan v. Commissioner, 39 F. 2d 540 (2d Cir. 1930). The decision held that, where the evidence indicated a taxpayer incurred deductible travel or entertainment expenses but the exact amount could not be determined, the court should make a close approximation and not disallow the deduction entirely. Section 274(d) contemplates that no deduction or credit shall be allowed a taxpayer on the basis of such approximations or unsupported testimony of the taxpayer. For purposes of this section, the term entertainment means entertainment, amusement, or recreation, and use of a facility therefor; and the term expenditure includes expenses and items (including items such as losses and depreciation).
(b) Elements of an expenditure or use —(1) In general. Section 274(d) and this section contemplate that no deduction or credit shall be allowed for travel, entertainment, a gift, or with respect to listed property unless the taxpayer substantiates the requisite elements of each expenditure or use as set forth in this paragraph (b).
(2) Travel away from home. The elements to be provided with respect to an expenditure for travel away from home are—
(i) Amount. Amount of each separate expenditure for traveling away from home, such as cost of transportation or lodging, except that the daily cost of the traveler's own breakfast, lunch, and dinner and of expenditures incidental to such travel may be aggregated, if set forth in reasonable categories, such as for meals, for gasoline and oil, and for taxi fares;
(ii) Time. Dates of departure and return for each trip away from home, and number of days away from home spent on business;
(iii) Place. Destinations or locality of travel, described by name of city or town or other similar designation; and
(iv) Business purpose. Business reason for travel or nature of the business benefit derived or expected to be derived as a result of travel.
(3) Entertainment in general. The elements to be proved with respect to an expenditure for entertainment are—
(i) Amount. Amount of each separate expenditure for entertainment, except that such incidental items as taxi fares or telephone calls may be aggregated on a daily basis;
(ii) Time. Date of entertainment;
(iii) Place. Name, if any, address or location, and destination of type of entertainment, such as dinner or theater, if such information is not apparent from the designation of the place;
(iv) Business purpose. Business reason for the entertainment or nature of business benefit derived or expected to be derived as a result of the entertainment and, except in the case of business meals described in section 274(e)(1), the nature of any business discussion or activity;
(v) Business relationship. Occupation or other information relating to the person or persons entertained, including name, title, or other designation, sufficient to establish business relationship to the taxpayer.
(4) Entertainment directly preceding or following a substantial and bona fide business discussion. If a taxpayer claims a deduction for entertainment directly preceding or following a substantial and bona fide business discussion on the ground that such entertainment was associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business, the elements to be proved with respect to such expenditure, in addition to those enumerated in paragraph (b)(3) (i), (ii), (iii), and (v) of this section are—
(i) Time. Date and duration of business discussion;
(ii) Place. Place of business discussion;
(iii) Business purpose. Nature of business discussion, and business reason for the entertainment or nature of business benefit derived or expected to be derived as the result of the entertainment.
(iv) Business relationship. Identification of those persons entertained who participated in the business discussion.
(5) Gifts. The elements to be proved with respect to an expenditure for a gift are—
(i) Amount. Cost of the gift to the taxpayer;
(ii) Time. Date of the gift;
(iii) Description. Description of the gift;
(iv) Business purpose. Business reason for the gift or nature of business benefit derived or expected to be derived as a result of the gift; and
(v) Business relationship. Occupation or other information relating to the recipient of the gift, including name, title, or other designation, sufficient to establish business relationship to the taxpayer.
(6) Listed property. The elements to be proved with respect to any listed property are—
(i) Amount —(A) Expenditures. The amount of each separate expenditure with respect to an item of listed property, such as the cost of acquisition, the cost of capital improvements, lease payments, the cost of maintenance and repairs, or other expenditures, and
(B) Uses. The amount of each business/investment use (as defined in § 1.280F-6T (d)(3) and (e)), based on the appropriate measure (i.e., mileage for automobiles and other means of transportation and time for other listed property, unless the Commissioner approves an alternative method), and the total use of the listed property for the taxable period.
(ii) Time. Date of the expenditure or use with respect to listed property, and
(iii) Business or investment purpose. The business purpose for an expenditure or use with respect to any listed property (see § 1.274-5T(c)(6)(i) (B) and (C) for special rules for the aggregation of expenditures and business use and § 1.280F-6T(d)(2) for the distinction between qualified business use and business/investment use).
(c) Rules of substantiation —(1) In general. Except as otherwise provided in this section and § 1.274-6T, a taxpayer must substantiate each element of an expenditure or use (described in paragraph (b) of this section) by adequate records or by sufficient evidence corroborating his own statement. Section 274(d) contemplates that a taxpayer will maintain and produce such substantiation as will constitute proof of each expenditure or use referred to in section 274. Written evidence has considerably more probative value than oral evidence alone. In addition, the probative value of written evidence is greater the closer in time it relates to the expenditure or use. A contemporaneous log is not required, but a record of the elements of an expenditure or of a business use of listed property made at or near the time of the expenditure or use, supported by sufficient documentary evidence, has a high degree of credibility not present with respect to a statement prepared subsequent thereto when generally there is a lack of accurate recall. Thus, the corroborative evidence required to support a statement not make at or near the time of the expenditure or use must have a high degree of probative value to elevate such statement and evidence to the level of credibility reflected by a record made at or near the time of the expenditure or use supported by sufficient documentary evidence. The substantiation requirements of section 274(d) are designed to encourage taxpayers to maintain the records, together with documentary evidence, as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(2) Substantiation by adequate records —(i) In general. To meet the “adequate records” requirements of section 274(d), a taxpayer shall maintain an account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheets, or similar record (as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section), and documentary evidence (as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section) which, in combination, are sufficient to establish each element of an expenditure or use specified in paragraph (b) of this section. It is not necessary to record information in an account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record which duplicates information reflected on a receipt so long as the account book, etc. and receipt complement each other in an orderly manner.
(ii) Account book, diary, etc. An account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record must be prepared or maintained in such manner that each recording of an element of an expenditure or use is made at or near the time of the expenditure or use.
(A) Made at or near the time of the expenditure or use. For purposes of this section, the phrase made at or near the time of the expenditure or use means the element of an expenditure or use are recorded at a time when, in relation to the use or making of an expenditure, the taxpayer has full present knowledge of each element of the expenditure or use, such as the amount, time, place, and business purpose of the expenditure and business relationship. An expense account statement which is a transcription of an account book, diary, log, or similar record prepared or maintained in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (c)(2)(ii) shall be considered a record prepared or maintained in the manner prescribed in the preceding sentence if such expense account statement is submitted by an employee to his employer or by an independent contractor to his client or customer in the regular course of good business practice. For example, a log maintained on a weekly basis, which accounts for use during the week, shall be considered a record made at or near the time of such use.
(B) Substantiation of business purpose. In order to constitute an adequate record of business purpose within the meaning of section 274(d) and this paragraph (c)(2), a written statement of business purpose generally is required. However, the degree of substantiation necessary to establish business purpose will vary depending upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Where the business purpose is evident from the surrounding facts and circumstances, a written explanation of such business purpose will not be required. For example, in the case of a salesman calling on customers on an established sales route, a written explanation of the business purpose of such travel ordinarily will not be required. Similarly, in the case of a business meal described in section 274(e)(1), if the business purpose of such meal is evident from the business relationship to the taxpayer of the persons entertained and other surrounding circumstances, a written explanation of such business purpose will not be required.
(C) Substantiation of business use of listed property —( 1 ) Degree of substantiation. In order to constitute an adequate record (within the meaning of section 274(d) and this paragraph (c)(2)(ii)), which substantiates business/investment use of listed property (as defined in § 1.280F-6T(d)(3)), the record must contain sufficient information as to each element of every business/investment use. However, the level of detail required in an adequate record to substantiate business/investment use may vary depending upon the facts and circumstances. For example, a taxpayer who uses a truck for both business and personal purposes and whose only business use of a truck is to make deliveries to customers on an established route may satisfy the adequate record requirement by recording the total number miles driven during the taxable year, the length of the delivery route once, and the date of each trip at or near the time of the trips. Alternatively, the taxpayer may establish the date of each trip with a receipt, record of delivery, or other documentary evidence.
( 2 ) Written record. Generally, an adequate record must be written. However, a record of the business use of listed property, such as a computer or automobile, prepared in a computer memory device with the aid of a logging program will constitute an adequate record.
(D) Confidential information. If any information relating to the elements of an expenditure or use, such as place, business purpose, or business relationship, is of a confidential nature, such information need not be set forth in the account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record, provided such information is recorded at or near the time of the expenditure or use and is elsewhere available to the district director to substantiate such element of the expenditure or use.
(iii) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5(c)(2)(iii).
(iv) Retention of written evidence. The Commissioner may, in his discretion, prescribe rules under which an employer may dispose of the adequate records and documentary evidence submitted to him by employees who are required to, and do, make an adequate accounting to the employer (within the meaning of paragraph (f)(4) of this section) if the employer maintains adequate accounting procedures with respect to such employees (within the meaning of paragraph (f)(5) of this section.
(v) Substantial compliance. If a taxpayer has not fully substantiated a particular element of an expenditure or use, but the taxpayer establishes to the satisfaction of the district director that he has substantially complied with the “adequate records” requirements of this paragraph (c)(2) with respect to the expenditure or use, the taxpayer may be permitted to establish such element by evidence which the district director shall deem adequate.
(3) Substantiation by other sufficient evidence —(i) In general. If a taxpayer fails to establish to the satisfaction of the district director that he has substantially complied with the “adequate records” requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of this section with respect to an element of an expenditure or use, then, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the taxpayer must establish such element—
(A) By his own statement, whether written or oral, containing specific information in detail as to such element; and
(B) By other corrobative evidence sufficient to establish such element.
(ii) Sampling —(A) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(B) of this section, a taxpayer may maintain an adequate record for portions of a taxable year and use that record to substantiate the business/investment use of listed property for all or a portion of the taxable year if the taxpayer can demonstrate by other evidence that the periods for which an adequate record is maintained are representative of the use for the taxable year or a portion thereof.
(B) Exception for pooled vehicles. The sampling method of paragraph (c)(3)(ii)(A) of this section may not be used to substantiate the business/investment use of an automobile or other vehicle of an employer that is made available for use by more than one employee for all or a portion of a taxable year.
(C) Examples. The following examples illustrate this paragraph (c)(3)(ii).
(iii) Special rules. See § 1.274-6T for special rules for substantiation by sufficient corroborating evidence with respect to certain listed property.
(4) Substantiation in exceptional circumstances. If a taxpayer establishes that, by reason of the inherent nature of the situation—
(i) He was unable to obtain evidence with respect to an element of the expenditure or use which conforms fully to the “adequate records” requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of this section,
(ii) He is unable to obtain evidence with respect to such element which conforms fully to the “other sufficient evidence” requirements of paragraph (c)(3) of this section, and
(iii) He has presented other evidence, with respect to such element, which possesses the highest degree of probative value possible under the circumstances, such other evidence shall be considered to satisfy the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and this paragraph.
(5) Loss of records due to circumstances beyond control of the taxpayer. Where the taxpayer establishes that the failure to produce adequate records is due to the loss of such records through circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control, such as destruction by fire, flood, earthquake, or other casualty, the taxpayer shall have a right to substantiate a deduction by reasonable reconstruction of his expenditures or use.
(6) Special rules —(i) Separate expenditure or use —(A) In general. For the purposes of this section, each separate payment or use by the taxpayer shall ordinarily be considered to constitute a separate expenditure. However, concurrent or repetitious expenses or uses may be substantiated as a single item. To illustrate the above rules, where a taxpayer entertains a business guest at dinner and thereafter at the theater, the payment for dinner shall be considered to constitute one expenditure and the payment for the tickets for the theater shall be considered to constitute a separate expenditure. Similarly, if during a day of business travel a taxpayer makes separate payments for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, he shall be considered to have made three separate expenditures. However, if during entertainment at a cocktail lounge the taxpayer pays separately for each serving of refreshments, the total amount expended for the refreshments will be treated as a single expenditure. A tip may be treated as a separate expenditure.
(B) Aggregation of expenditures. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record required by paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section shall be maintained with respect to each separate expenditure and not with respect to aggregate amounts for two or more expenditures. Thus, each expenditure for such items as lodging and air or rail travel shall be recorded as a separate item and not aggregated. However, at the option of the taxpayer, amounts expended for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, may be aggregated. A tip or gratuity which is related to an underlying expense may be aggregated with such expense. In addition, amounts expended in connection with the use of listed property during a taxable year, such as for gasoline or repairs for an automobile, may be aggregated. If these expenses are aggregated, the taxpayer must establish the date and amount, but need not prove the business purpose of each expenditure. Instead, the taxpayer may prorate the expenses based on the total business use of the listed property. For other provisions permitting recording of aggregate amounts in an account book, diary, log, statement of expense, trip sheet, or similar record, see paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (b)(3) of this section (relating to incidental costs of travel and entertainment).
(C) Aggregation of business use. Uses which may be considered part of a single use, for example, a round trip or uninterrupted business use, may be accounted for by a single record. For example, use of a truck to make deliveries at several different locations which begins and ends at the business premises and which may include a stop at the business premises in between two deliveries may be accounted for by a single record of miles driven. In addition, use of a passenger automobile by a salesman for a business trip away from home over a period of time may be accounted for by a single record of miles traveled. De minimis personal use (such as a stop for lunch on the way between two business stops) is not an interruption of business use.
(ii) Allocation of expenditure. For purposes of this section, if a taxpayer has established the amount of an expenditure, but is unable to establish the portion of such amount which is attributable to each person participating in the event giving rise to the expenditure, such amount shall ordinarily be allocated to each participant on a pro rata basis, if such determination is material. Accordingly, the total number of persons for whom a travel or entertainment expenditure is incurred must be established in order to compute the portion of the expenditure allocable to such person.
(iii) Primary use of a facility. Section 274(a) (1)(B) and (2)(C) deny a deduction for any expenditure paid or incurred before January 1, 1979, with respect to a facility, or paid or incurred before January 1, 1994, with respect to a club, used in connection with an entertainment activity unless the taxpayer establishes that the facility (including a club) was used primarily for the furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business. A determination whether a facility before January 1, 1979, or a club before January 1, 1994, was used primarily for the furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business will depend upon the facts and circumstances of each case. In order to establish that a facility was used primarily for the furtherance of his trade or business, the taxpayer shall maintain records of the use of the facility, the cost of using the facility, mileage or its equivalent (if appropriate), and such other information as shall tend to establish such primary use. Such records of use shall contain—
(A) For each use of the facility claimed to be in furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business, the elements of an expenditure specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and
(B) For each use of the facility not in furtherance of the taxpayer's trade or business, an appropriate description of such use, including cost, date, number of persons entertained, nature of entertainment and, if applicable, information such as mileage or its equivalent. A notation such as “personal use” or “family use” would, in the case of such use, be sufficient to describe the nature of entertainment.
(iv) Additional information. In a case where it is necessary to obtain additional information, either—
(A) To clarify information contained in records, statements, testimony, or documentary evidence submitted by a taxpayer under the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) or (c)(3) of this section, or
(B) To establish the reliability or accuracy of such records, statements, testimony, or documentary evidence, the district director may, notwithstanding any other provision of this section, obtain such additional information by personal interview or otherwise as he determines necessary to implement properly the provisions of section 274 and the regulations thereunder.
(7) Specific exceptions. Except as otherwise prescribed by the Commissioner, substantiation otherwise required by this paragraph is not required for—
(i) Expenses described in section 274(e)(2) relating to food and beverages for employees, section 274(e)(3) relating to expenses treated as compensation, section 274(e)(8) relating to items available to the public, and section 274(e)(9) relating to entertainment sold to customers, and
(ii) Expenses described in section 274(e)(5) relating to recreational, etc., expenses for employees, except that a taxpayer shall keep such records or other evidence as shall establish that such expenses were for activities (or facilities used in connection therewith) primarily for the benefit of employees other than employees who are officers, shareholders or other owners (as defined in section 274(e)(5)), or highly compensated employees.
(d) Disclosure on returns —(1) In general. The Commissioner may, in his discretion, prescribe rules under which any taxpayer claiming a deduction or credit for entertainment, gifts, travel, or with respect to listed property, or any other person receiving advances, reimbursements, or allowances for such items, shall make disclosure on his tax return with respect to such items. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (f) of this section.
(2) Business use of passenger automobiles and other vehicles. (i) On returns for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1984, taxpayers that claim a deduction or credit with respect to any vehicle are required to answer certain questions providing information about the use of the vehicle. The information required on the tax return relates to mileage (total, business, commuting, and other personal mileage), percentage of business use, date placed in service, use of other vehicles, after-work use, whether the taxpayer has evidence to support the business use claimed on the return, and whether or not the evidence is written.
(ii) Any employer that provides the use of a vehicle to an employee must obtain information from the employee sufficient to complete the employer's tax return. Any employer that provides more than five vehicles to its employees need not include any information on its return. The employer, instead, must obtain the information from its employees, indicate on its return that it has obtained the information, and retain the information received. Any employer—
(A) That can satisfy the requirements of § 1.274-6T(a)(2), relating to vehicles not used for personal purposes,
(B) That can satisfy the requirements of § 1.274-6T(a)(3), relating to vehicles not used for personal purposes other than commuting, or
(C) That treats all use of vehicles by employees as personal use need not obtain information with respect to those vechicles, but instead must indicate on its return that it has vehicles exempt from the requirements of this paragraph (d)(2).
(3) Business use of other listed property. On returns for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1984, taxpayers that claim a deduction or credit with respect to any listed property other than a vehicle (for example, a yacht, airplane, or certain computers) are required to provide the following information:
(i) The date that the property was placed in service,
(ii) The percentage of business use,
(iii) Whether evidence is available to support the percentage of business use claimed on the return, and
(iv) Whether the evidence is written.
(e) Substantiation of the business use of listed property made available by an employer for use by an employee —(1) Employee —(i) In general. An employee may not exclude from gross income as a working condition fringe any amount of the value of the availability of listed property provided by an employer to the employee, unless the employee substantiates for the period of availability the amount of the exclusion in accordance with the requirements of section 274(d) and either this section or § 1.274-6T.
(ii) Vehicles treated as used entirely for personal purposes. If an employer includes the value of the availability of a vehicle (as defined in § 1.61-21(e)(2)) in an employee's gross income without taking into account any exclusion for a working condition fringe allowable under section 132 and the regulations thereunder with respect to the vehicle, the employee must substantiate any deduction claimed under §§ 1.162-25 and 1.162-25T for the business/investment use of the vehicle in accordance with the requirements of section 274(d) and either this section or § 1.274-6T.
(2) Employer —(i) In general. An employer substantiates its business/investment use of listed property by showing either—
(A) That, based on evidence that satisfies the requirements of section 274(d) or statements submitted by employees that summarize such evidence, all or a portion of the use of the listed property is by employees in the employer's trade or business and, if any employee used the property for personal purposes, the employer included an appropriate amount in the employee's income, or
(B) In the case of a vehicle, the employer treats all use by employees as personal use and includes an appropriate amount in the employees' income.
(ii) Reliance on employee records. For purposes of substantiating the business/investment use of listed property that an employer provides to an employee and for purposes of the information required by paragraph (d)(2) and (3) of this section, the employer may rely on adequate records maintained by the employee or on the employee's own statement if corroborated by other sufficient evidence unless the employer knows or has reason to know that the statement, records, or other evidence are not accurate. The employer must retain a copy of the adequate records maintained by the employee or the other sufficient evidence, if available. Alternatively, the employer may rely on a statement submitted by the employee that provides sufficient information to allow the employer to determine the business/investment use of the property unless the employer knows or has reason to know that the statement is not based on adequate records or on the employee's own statement corroborated by other sufficient evidence. If the employer relies on the employee's statement, the employer must retain only a copy of the statement. The employee must retain a copy of the adequate records or other evidence.
(f) Reporting and substantiation of expenses of certain employees for travel, entertainment, gifts, and with respect to listed property —(1) In general. The purpose of this paragraph is to provide rules for reporting and substantiation of certain expenses paid or incurred by employees in connection with the performance of services as employees. For purposes of this paragraph, the term business expenses means ordinary and necessary expenses for travel, entertainment, gifts, or with respect to listed property which are deductible under section 162, and the regulations thereunder, to the extent not disallowed by section 262, 274(c), and 280F. Thus, the term business expenses does not include personal, living, or family expenses disallowed by section 262, travel expenses disallowed by section 274(c), or cost recovery deductions and credits with respect to listed property disallowed by section 280F(d)(3) because the use of such property is not for the convenience of the employer and required as a condition of employment. Except as provided in paragraph (f)(2), advances, reimbursements, or allowances for such expenditures must be reported as income by the employee.
(2) Reporting of expenses for which the employee is required to make an adequate accounting to his employer —(i) Reimbursements equal to expenses. For purposes of computing tax liability, an employee need not report on his tax return business expenses for travel, transportation, entertainment, gifts, or with respect to listed property, paid or incurred by him solely for the benefit of his employer for which he is required to, and does, make an adequate accounting to his employer (as defined in paragraph (f)(4) of this section) and which are charged directly or indirectly to the employer (for example, through credit cards) or for which the employee is paid through advances, reimbursements, or otherwise, provided that the total amount of such advances, reimbursements, and charges is equal to such expenses.
(ii) Reimbursements in excess of expenses. In case the total of the amounts charged directly or indirectly to the employer or received from the employer as advances, reimbursements, or otherwise, exceeds the business expenses paid or incurred by the employee and the employee is required to, and does, make an adequate accounting to his employer for such expenses, the employee must include such excess (including amounts received for expenditures not deductible by him) in income.
(iii) Expenses in excess of reimbursements. If an employee incurs deductible business expenses on behalf of his employer which exceed the total of the amounts charged directly or indirectly to the employer and received from the employer as advances, reimbursements, or otherwise, and the employee makes an adequate accounting to his employer, the employee must be able to substantiate any deduction for such excess with such records and supporting evidence as will substantiate each element of an expenditure (described in paragraph (b) of this section) in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.
(3) Reporting of expenses for which the employee is not required to make an adequate accounting to his employer. If the employee is not required to make an adequate accounting to his employer for his business expenses or, though required, fails to make an adequate accounting for such expenses, he must submit, as a part of his tax return, the appropriate form issued by the Internal Revenue Service for claiming deductions for employee business expenses (e.g., Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses, for 1985) and provide the information requested on that form, including the information required by paragraph (d)(2) and (3) of this section if the employee's business expenses are with respect to the use of listed property. In addition, the employee must maintain such records and supporting evidence as will substantiate each element of an expenditure or use (described in paragraph (b) of this section) in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.
(4) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5(f)(4).
(5) Substantiation of expenditures by certain employees. An employee who makes an adequate accounting to his employer within the meaning of this paragraph will not again be required to substantiate such expense account information except in the following cases:
(i) An employee whose business expenses exceed the total of amounts charged to his employer and amounts received through advances, reimbursements or otherwise and who claims a deduction on his return for such excess,
(ii) An employee who is related to his employer within the meaning of section 267(b), but for this purpose the percentage referred to in section 267(b)(2) shall be 10 percent, and
(iii) Employees in cases where it is determined that the accounting procedures used by the employer for the reporting and substantiation of expenses by such employees are not adequate, or where it cannot be determined that such procedures are adequate. The district director will determine whether the employer's accounting procedures are adequate by considering the facts and circumstances of each case, including the use of proper internal controls. For example, an employer should require that an expense account be verified and approved by a reasonable person other than the person incurring such expenses. Accounting procedures will be considered inadequate to the extent that the employer does not require an adequate accounting from his employees as defined in paragraph (f)(4) of this section, or does not maintain such substantiation. To the extent an employer fails to maintain adequate accounting procedures he will thereby obligate his employees to substantiate separately their expense account information.
(g) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5(g).
(h) Reporting and substantiation of certain reimbursements of persons other than employees —(1) In general. The purpose of this paragraph is to provide rules for the reporting and substantiation of certain expenses for travel, entertainment, gifts, or with respect to listed property paid or incurred by one person (hereinafter termed “independent contractor”) in connection with services performed for another person other than an employer (hereinafter termed “client or customer”) under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with such client or customer. For purposes of this paragraph, the term business expenses means ordinary and necessary expenses for travel, entertainment, gifts, or with respect to listed property which are deductible under section 162, and the regulations thereunder, to the extent not disallowed by sections 262 and 274(c). Thus, the term business expenses does not include personal, living, or family expenses disallowed by section 262 or travel expenses disallowed by section 274(c), and reimbursements for such expenditures must be reported as income by the independent contractor. For purposes of this paragraph, the term reimbursements means advances, allowances, or reimbursements received by an independent contractor for travel, entertainment, gifts, or with respect to listed property in connection with the performance by him of services for his client or customer, under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with his client or customer, and includes amounts charged directly or indirectly to the client or customer through credit card systems or otherwise. See paragraph (j) of this section relating to the substantiation of meal expenses while traveling away from home.
(2) Substantiation by independent contractors. An independent contractor shall substantiate, with respect to his reimbursements, each element of an expenditure (described in paragraph (b) of this section) in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section; and, to the extent he does not so substantiate, he shall include such reimbursements in income. An independent contractor shall so substantiate a reimbursement for entertainment regardless of whether he accounts (within the meaning of paragraph (h)(3) of this section) for such entertainment.
(3) Accounting to a client or customer under section 274(e)(4)(B). Section 274(e)(4)(B) provides that section 274(a) (relating to disallowance of expenses for entertainment) shall not apply to expenditures for entertainment for which an independent contractor has been reimbursed if the independent contractor accounts to his client or customer, to the extent provided by section 274(d). For purposes of section 274(e)(4)(B), an independent contractor shall be considered to account to his client or customer for an expense paid or incurred under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with his client or customer if, with respect to such expense for entertainment, he submits to his client or customer adequate records or other sufficient evidence conforming to the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.
(4) Substantiation by client or customer. A client or customer shall not be required to substantiate, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section, reimbursements to an independent contractor for travel and gifts, or for entertainment unless the independent contractor has accounted to him (within the meaning of section 274(e)(4)(B) and paragraph (h)(3) of this section) for such entertainment. If an independent contractor has so accounted to a client or customer for entertainment, the client or customer shall substantiate each element of the expenditure (as described in paragraph (b) of this section) in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.
(i) [Reserved]
(j) [Reserved]. For further guidance, see § 1.274-5(j).
(k) and (l) [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.274-5(k) and (l).
(m) Effective date. Section 274(d), as amended by the Tax Reform Act of 1984 and Public Law 99-44, and this section (except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) and (3) of this section) apply with respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 1985. Section 274(d) and this section apply to any deduction or credit claimed in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1985, with respect to any listed property, regardless of the taxable year in which the property was placed in service. However, except as provided in § 1.132-5(h) with respect to qualified nonpersonal use vehicles, the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and this section do not apply to the determination of an employee's working condition fringe exclusion or to the determination under § 1.162-25(b) of an employee's deduction before the date that those requirements apply, under this paragraph (m), to the employer, if the employer is taxable. Paragraph (j)(3) of this section applies to expenses paid or incurred after September 30, 2002.
§ 1.274-6   Expenditures deductible without regard to trade or business or other income producing activity.
The provisions of §§ 1.274-1 through 1.274-5, inclusive, do not apply to any deduction allowable to the taxpayer without regard to its connection with the taxpayer's trade or business or other income producing activity. Examples of such items are interest, taxes such as real property taxes, and casualty losses. Thus, if a taxpayer owned a fishing camp, the taxpayer could still deduct mortgage interest and real property taxes in full even if deductions for its use are not allowable under section 274(a) and § 1.274-2. In the case of a taxpayer which is not an individual, the provisions of this section shall be applied as if it were an individual. Thus, if a corporation sustains a casualty loss on an entertainment facility used in its trade or business, it could deduct the loss even though deductions for the use of the facility are not allowable.
§ 1.274-6T   Substantiation with respect to certain types of listed property for taxable years beginning after 1985 (temporary).
(a) Written policy statements as to vehicles —(1) In general. Two types of written policy statements satisfying the conditions described in paragraph (a)(2) and (3) of this section, if initiated and kept by an employer to implement a policy of no personal use, or no personal use except for commuting, of a vehicle provided by the employer, qualify as sufficient evidence corroborating the taxpayer's own statement and therefore will satisfy the employer's substantiation requirements under section 274(d). Therefore, the employee need not keep a separate set of records for purposes of the employer's substantiation requirements under section 274(d) with respect to use of a vehicle satisfying these written policy statement rules. A written policy statement adopted by a governmental unit as to employee use of its vehicles is eligible for these exceptions to the section 274(d) substantiation rules. Thus, a resolution of a city council or a provision of state law or a state constitution would qualify as a written policy statement, as long as the conditions described in paragraph (a)(2) and (3) of this section are met.
(2) Vehicles not used for personal purposes —(i) Employers. A policy statement that prohibits personal use by an employee satisfies an employer's substantiation requirements under section 274(d) if all the following conditions are met—
(A) The vehicle is owned or leased by the employer and is provided to one or more employees for use in connection with the employer's trade or business,
(B) When the vehicle is not used in the employer's trade or business, it is kept on the employer's business premises, unless it is temporarily located elsewhere, for example, for maintenance or because of a mechanical failure,
(C) No employee using the vehicle lives at the employer's business premises,
(D) Under a written policy of the employer, neither an employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, may use the vehicle for personal purposes, except for de minimis personal use (such as a stop for lunch between two business deliveries), and
(E) The employer reasonably believes that, except for de minimis use, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, uses the vehicle for any personal purpose.
(ii) Employees. An employee, in lieu of substantiating the business/investment use of an employer-provided vehicle under § 1.274-5T, may treat all use of the vehicle as business/investment use if the following conditions are met—
(A) The vehicle is owned or leased by the employer and is provided to one or more employees for use in connection with the employer's trade or business,
(B) When the vehicle is not used in the employer's trade or business, it is kept on the employer's business premises, unless it is temporarily located elsewhere, for example, for maintenance or because of a mechanical failure,
(C) No employee using the vehicle lives at the employer's business premises,
(D) Under a written policy of the employer, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, may use the vehicle for personal purposes, except for de minimis personal use (such as a stop for lunch between two business deliveries), and
(E) Except for de minimis personal use, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, uses the vehicle for any personal purpose.
(3) Vehicles not used for personal purposes other than commuting —(i) Employers. A policy statement that prohibits personal use by an employee, other than commuting, satisfies an employer's substantiation requirements under section 274(d) if all the following conditions are met—
(A) The vehicle is owned or leased by the employer and is provided to one or more employees for use in connection with the employer's trade or business and is used in the employer's trade or business,
(B) For bona fide noncompensatory business reasons, the employer requires the employee to commute to and/or from work in the vehicle,
(C) The employer has established a written policy under which neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, may use the vehicle for personal purposes, other than for commuting or de minimis personal use (such as a stop for a personal errand on the way between a business delivery and the employee's home),
(D) The employer reasonably believes that, except for de minimis personal use, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, uses the vehicle for any personal purpose other than commuting,
(E) The employee required to use the vehicle for commuting is not a control employee (as defined in § 1.61-21(f)(5) and (6)) required to use an automobile (as defined in § 1.61-21(d)(1)(ii)), and
(F) The employer accounts for the commuting use by including in the employee's gross income the commuting value provided in § 1.61-21(f)(3) (to the extent not reimbursed by the employee).
(ii) Employees. An employee, in lieu of substantiating the business/investment use of an employer-provided vehicle under § 1.274-5T, may substantiate any exclusion allowed under section 132 for a working condition fringe by including in income the commuting value of the vehicle (determined by the employer pursuant to § 1.61-21(f)(3)) if all the following conditions are met:
(A) The vehicle is owned or leased by the employer and is provided to one or more employees for use in connection with the employer's trade or business and is used in the employer's trade or business,
(B) For bona fide noncompensatory business reasons, the employer requires the employee to commute to and/or from work in the vehicle,
(C) Under a written policy of the employer, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, may use the vehicle for personal purposes, other than for commuting or de minimis personal use (such as a stop for a personal errand on the way between a business delivery and the employee's home),
(D) Except for de minimis personal use, neither the employee, nor any individual whose use would be taxable to the employee, uses the vehicle for any personal purpose other than commuting,
(E) The employee required to use the vehicle for commuting is not a control employee (as defined in § 1.61-21(f)(5) and (6) required to use an automobile (as defined in § 1.61-21(d)(1)(ii)), and
(F) The employee includes in gross income the commuting value determined by the employer as provided in § 1.61-21(f)(3)(to the extent that the employee does not reimburse the employer for the commuting use).
(b) Vehicles used in connection with the business of farming —(1) In general. If, during a taxable year or shorter period, a vehicle, not otherwise described in section 274(i), § 1.274-5T(k), or paragraph (a) (2) or (3) of this section, is owned or leased by an employer and used during most of a normal business day directly in connection with the business of farming (as defined in paragraph (b)(2) of this section), the employer, in lieu of substantiating the use of the vehicle as prescribed in § 1.274-5T(b)(6)(i)(B), may determine any deduction or credit with respect to the vehicle as if the business/investment use (as defined in § 1.280F-6T(d)(3)(i)) and the qualified business use (as defined in § 1.280F-6T(d)(2)) of the vehicle in the business of farming for the taxable year or shorter period were 75 percent plus that percentage, if any, attributable to an amount included in an employee's gross income. If the vehicle is also available for personal use by employees, the employer must include the value of that personal use in the gross income of the employees, allocated among them in the manner prescribed in § 1.132-5(g).
(2) Directly in connection with the business of farming. The phrase directly in connection with the business of farming means that the vehicle must be used directly in connection with the business of operating a farm (i.e., cultivating land or raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, or the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and management of animals) or incidental thereto (for example, trips to the feed and supply store).
(3) Substantiation by employees. If an employee is provided with the use of a vehicle to which this paragraph (b) applies, the employee may, in lieu of substantiating the business/investment use of the vehicle in the manner prescribed in § 1.274-5T, substantiate any exclusion allowed under section 132 for a working condition fringe as if the business/investment use of the vehicle were 75 percent, plus that percentage, if any, determined by the employer to be attributable to the use of the vehicle by individuals other than the employee, provided that the employee includes in gross income the amount determined by the employer as includible in the employee's gross income. See § 1.132-5(g)(3) for examples illustrating the allocation of use of a vehicle among employees.
(c) Vehicles treated as used entirely for personal purposes. An employer may satisfy the substantiation requirements under section 274(d) for a taxable year or shorter period with respect to the business use of a vehicle that is provided to an employee by including the value of the availability of the vehicle during the relevant period in the employee's gross income without any exclusion for a working condition fringe with respect to the vehicle and, if required, by withholding any taxes. Under these circumstances, the employer's business/investment use of the vehicle during the relevant period is 100 percent. The employer's qualified business use of the vehicle is dependent upon the relationship of the employee to the employer ( see § 1.280F-6T(d)(2)).
(d) Limitation. If a taxpayer chooses to satisfy the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) and § 1.274-5T by using one of the methods prescribed in paragraphs (a) (2) or (3), (b), or (c) of this section and files a return with the Internal Revenue Service for a taxable year consistent with such choice, the taxpayer may not later use another of these methods. Similarly, if a taxpayer chooses to satisfy the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) in the manner prescribed in § 1.274-5T and files a return with the Internal Revenue Service for a taxable year consistent with such choice, the taxpayer may not later use a method prescribed in paragraph (a) (2) or (3), (b), or (c) of this section. This rule applies to an employee for purposes of substantiating any working condition fringe exclusion as well as to an employer. For example, if an employee excludes on his federal income tax return for a taxable year 90 percent of the value of the availability of an employer-provided automobile on the basis of records that allegedly satisfy the “adequate records” requirement of § 1.274-5T(c)(2), and that requirement is not satisfied, then the employee may not satisfy the substantiation requirements of section 274(d) for the taxable year by any method prescribed in this section, but may present other corroborative evidence as prescribed in § 1.274-5T(c)(3).
(e) Definitions —(1) In general. The definitions provided in this paragraph (e) apply for purposes of section 274(d), § 1.274-5T, and this section.
(2) Employer and employee. The terms employer and employee include the following:
(i) A sole proprietor shall be treated as both an employer and employee,
(ii) A partnership shall be treated as an employer of its partners, and
(iii) A partner shall be treated as an employee of the partnership.
(3) Automobile. The term automobile has the same meaning as prescribed in § 1.61-21(d)(1)(ii).
(4) Vehicle. The term vehicle has the same meaning as prescribed in § 1.61-21(e)(2).
(5) Personal use. Personal use by an employee of an employer-provided vehicle includes use in any trade or business other than the trade or business of being the employee of the employer providing the vehicle.
(f) Effective date. This section is effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1985.
§ 1.274-7   Treatment of certain expenditures with respect to entertainment-type facilities.
If deductions are disallowed under § 1.274-2 with respect to any portion of a facility, such portion shall be treated as an asset which is used for personal, living, and family purposes (and not as an asset used in a trade or business). Thus, the basis of such a facility will be adjusted for purposes of computing depreciation deductions and determining gain or loss on the sale of such facility in the same manner as other property (for example, a residence) which is regarded as used partly for business and partly for personal purposes.
§ 1.274-8   Effective/applicability date.
Except as provided in §§ 1.274-2(a), 1.274-2(e), 1.274-2(f)(2)(iv)(F), and 1.274-5, §§ 1.274-1 through 1.274-7 apply to taxable years ending after December 31, 1962.
§ 1.274-9   Entertainment provided to specified individuals.
(a) In general. Paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(9) of section 274 provide exceptions to the disallowance of section 274(a) for expenses for entertainment, amusement, or recreation activities, or for an entertainment facility. In the case of a specified individual (as defined in paragraph (b) of this section), the exceptions of paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(9) of section 274 apply only to the extent that the expenses do not exceed the amount of the expenses treated as compensation (under section 274(e)(2)) or as income (under section 274(e)(9)) to the specified individual. The amount disallowed is reduced by any amount that the specified individual reimburses a taxpayer for the entertainment.
(b) Specified individual defined. (1) A specified individual is an individual who is subject to section 16(a) of the Securities Act of 1934 in relation to the taxpayer, or an individual who would be subject to section 16(a) if the taxpayer were an issuer of equity securities referred to in that section. Thus, for example, a specified individual is an officer, director, or more than 10 percent owner of a corporation taxed under subchapter C or subchapter S or a personal service corporation. A specified individual includes every individual who—
(i) Is the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of any class of any registered equity (other than an exempted security);
(ii) Is a director or officer of the issuer of the security;
(iii) Would be the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of any class of a registered security if the taxpayer were an issuer of equity securities; or
(iv) Is comparable to an officer or director of an issuer of equity securities.
(2) For partnership purposes, a specified individual includes any partner that holds more than a 10 percent equity interest in the partnership, or any general partner, officer, or managing partner of a partnership.
(3) For purposes of this section, officer has the same meaning as in 17 CFR § 240.16a-1(f).
(4) A specified individual includes a director or officer of a tax-exempt entity.
(5) A specified individual of a taxpayer includes a specified individual of a party related to the taxpayer within the meaning of section 267(b) or section 707(b).
(c) Specified individual treated as recipient of entertainment provided to others. For purposes of section 274(a), a specified individual is treated as the recipient of entertainment provided to another individual because of the relationship of the other individual to the specified individual if the entertainment is a fringe benefit to the specified individual under section 61(a)(1) (without regard to any exclusions from gross income). Thus, expenses allocable to entertainment provided to the other individual are attributed to the specified individual for purposes of determining the amount of disallowed expenses.
(d) Entertainment use of aircraft by specified individuals. For rules relating to entertainment use of aircraft by specified individuals, see § 1.274-10.
(e) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning after August 1, 2012.
§ 1.274-10   Special rules for aircraft used for entertainment.
(a) Use of an aircraft for entertainment —(1) In general. Section 274(a) disallows a deduction for certain expenses for entertainment, amusement, or recreation activities, or for an entertainment facility. Under section 274(a) and this section, no deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 is allowed for expenses for the use of a taxpayer-provided aircraft for entertainment, except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(2) Exceptions —(i) In general. Paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not apply to deductions for expenses for business entertainment air travel or to deductions for expenses that meet the exceptions of section 274(e), § 1.274-2(f), and this section. Section 274(e)(2) and (e)(9) provides certain exceptions to the disallowance of section 274(a) for expenses for goods, services, and facilities for entertainment, recreation, or amusement.
(ii) Expenses treated as compensation —(A) Employees who are not specified individuals. Section 274(a), § 1.274-2(a) through (d), and paragraph (a)(1) of this section, in accordance with section 274(e)(2)(A), do not apply to expenses for entertainment air travel provided to an employee who is not a specified individual to the extent that a taxpayer—
( 1 ) Properly treats the expenses relating to the recipient of entertainment as compensation to an employee under chapter 1 and as wages to the employee for purposes of chapter 24; and
( 2 ) Treats the proper amount as compensation to the employee under § 1.61-21.
(B) Persons who are not employees and are not specified individuals. Section 274(a), § 1.274-2(a) through (d), and paragraph (a)(1) of this section, in accordance with section 274(e)(9), do not apply to expenses for entertainment air travel provided to a person who is not an employee and is not a specified individual to the extent that the expenses are includible in the income of that person. This exception does not apply to any amount paid or incurred by the taxpayer that is required to be included in any information return filed by the taxpayer under part III of subchapter A of chapter 61 and is not so included.
(C) Specified individuals. Section 274(a), § 1.274-2(a) through (d), and paragraph (a)(1) of this section, in accordance with section 274(e)(2)(B), do not apply to expenses for entertainment air travel of a specified individual to the extent that the amount of the expenses do not exceed the sum of—
( 1 ) The amount treated as compensation to or included in the income of the specified individual in the manner specified under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of this section (if the specified individual is an employee) or under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section (if the specified individual is not an employee); and
( 2 ) Any amount the specified individual reimburses the taxpayer.
(iii) Travel on regularly scheduled commercial airlines. Section 274(a), § 1.274-2(a) through (d), and paragraph (a)(1) of this section do not apply to expenses for entertainment air travel that a taxpayer that is a commercial passenger airline provides to specified individuals of the taxpayer on the taxpayer's regularly scheduled flights on which at least 90 percent of the seats are available for sale to the public to the extent the expenses are includible in the income of the recipient of the entertainment in the manner specified under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of this section (if the specified individual is an employee) or under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) of this section (if the specified individual is not an employee).
(b) Definitions. The definitions in this paragraph (b) apply for purposes of this section.
(1) Entertainment. For the definition of entertainment for purposes of this section, see § 1.274-2(b)(1). Entertainment does not include personal travel that is not for entertainment purposes. For example, travel to attend a family member's funeral is not entertainment.
(2) Entertainment air travel. Entertainment air travel is any travel aboard a taxpayer-provided aircraft for entertainment purposes.
(3) Business entertainment air travel. Business entertainment air travel is any entertainment air travel aboard a taxpayer-provided aircraft that is directly related to the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business or related to an expenditure directly preceding or following a substantial and bona fide business discussion and associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business. See § 1.274-2(a)(1)(i) and (ii). Air travel is not business entertainment air travel merely because a taxpayer-provided aircraft is used for the travel as a result of a bona fide security concern under § 1.132-5(m).
(4) Taxpayer-provided aircraft. A taxpayer-provided aircraft is any aircraft owned by, leased to, or chartered to, a taxpayer or any party related to the taxpayer (within the meaning of section 267(b) or section 707(b)).
(5) Specified individual. For rules relating to the definition of a specified individual, see § 1.274-9.
(c) Amount disallowed. Except as otherwise provided, the amount disallowed under this section for an entertainment flight by a specified individual is the amount of expenses allocable to the entertainment flight of the specified individual under paragraph (e)(2), (e)(3), or (f)(3) of this section, reduced (but not below zero) by the amount the taxpayer treats as compensation or reports as income under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(C)(1) of this section to the specified individual, plus any amount the specified individual reimburses the taxpayer.
(d) Expenses subject to disallowance under this section —(1) Definition of expenses. In determining the amount of expenses subject to disallowance under this section, a taxpayer must include all of the expenses of operating the aircraft, including all fixed and variable expenses the taxpayer deducts in the taxable year. These expenses include, but are not limited to, salaries for pilots, maintenance personnel, and other personnel assigned to the aircraft; meal and lodging expenses of flight personnel; take-off and landing fees; costs for maintenance flights; costs of on-board refreshments, amenities and gifts; hangar fees (at home or away); management fees; costs of fuel, tires, maintenance, insurance, registration, certificate of title, inspection, and depreciation; interest on debt secured by or properly allocated (within the meaning of § 1.163-8T) to an aircraft; and all costs paid or incurred for aircraft leased or chartered to the taxpayer.
(2) Leases or charters to third parties. Expenses allocable to a lease or charter of a taxpayer's aircraft to an unrelated (as determined under section 267(b) or 707(b)) third-party in a bona-fide business transaction for adequate and full consideration are excluded from the definition of expenses in paragraph (d)(1) of this section. Only expenses allocable to the lease or charter period are excluded under this paragraph (d)(2).
(3) Straight-line method permitted for determining depreciation disallowance under this section —(i) In general. In lieu of the amount of depreciation deducted in the taxable year, solely for purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section, a taxpayer may elect to treat as its depreciation deduction the amount that would result from using the straight-line method of depreciation over the class life (as defined by section 168(i)(1) and using the applicable convention under section 168(d)) of an aircraft, even if the taxpayer uses a different methodology to calculate depreciation for the aircraft under other sections of the Internal Revenue Code (for example, section 168). If the property qualifies for the additional first-year depreciation deduction provided by, for example, section 168(k), 168(n), 1400L(b), or 1400N(d), depreciation for purposes of this straight-line election is determined on the unadjusted depreciable basis (as defined in § 1.168(b)-1(a)(3)) of the property. However, the amount of depreciation disallowed as a result of this paragraph (d)(3) for any taxable year cannot exceed a taxpayer's allowable depreciation for that taxable year. For purposes of this section, a taxpayer that elects to use the straight-line method and class life under this paragraph (d)(3) for any aircraft it operates must use that methodology for all depreciable aircraft it operates and must continue to use the methodology for the entire period the taxpayer uses any depreciable aircraft.
(ii) Aircraft placed in service in earlier taxable years. The amount of depreciation for purposes of this paragraph (d)(3) for aircraft placed in service in taxable years before the taxable year of the election is determined by applying the straight-line method of depreciation to the unadjusted depreciable basis (or, for property acquired in an exchange to which section 1031 applies, the basis of the aircraft as determined under section 1031(d)) and over the class life (using the applicable convention under section 168(d)) of the aircraft as though the taxpayer used that methodology from the year the aircraft was placed in service.
(iii) Manner of making and revoking election. A taxpayer makes the election under this paragraph (d)(3) by filing an income tax return for the taxable year that determines the taxpayer's expenses for purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section by computing depreciation under this paragraph (d)(3). A taxpayer may revoke an election only for compelling circumstances upon consent of the Commissioner by private letter ruling.
(4) Aggregation of aircraft —(i) In general. A taxpayer may aggregate the expenses of aircraft of similar cost profiles for purposes of calculating disallowed expenses under paragraph (c) of this section.
(ii) Similar cost profiles. Aircraft are of similar cost profiles if their operating costs per mile or per hour of flight are comparable. Aircraft must have the same engine type (jet or propeller) and the same number of engines to have similar cost profiles. Other factors to be considered in determining whether aircraft have similar cost profiles include, but are not limited to, maximum take-off weight, payload, passenger capacity, fuel consumption rate, age, maintenance costs, and depreciable basis.
(5) Authority for establishing safe harbors for determining expenses. The Commissioner may establish in published guidance, see § 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter, one or more safe harbor methods under which a taxpayer may determine the amount of expenses paid or incurred for entertainment flights.
(e) Allocation of expenses —(1) General rule. For purposes of determining the expenses allocated to entertainment air travel of a specified individual under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(C) of this section, a taxpayer must use either the occupied seat hours or miles method of paragraph (e)(2) of this section or the flight-by-flight method of paragraph (e)(3) of this section. A taxpayer must use the chosen method for all flights of all aircraft for the taxable year.
(2) Occupied seat hours or miles method —(i) In general. The occupied seat hours or miles method determines the amount of expenses allocated to a particular entertainment flight of a specified individual based on the occupied seat hours or miles for an aircraft for the taxable year. Under this method, a taxpayer may choose to use either occupied seat hours or miles for the taxable year to determine the amount of expenses allocated to entertainment flights of specified individuals, but must use occupied seat hours or miles consistently for all flights of all aircraft for the taxable year.
(ii) Computation under the occupied seat hours or miles method. The amount of expenses allocated to an entertainment flight taken by a specified individual is computed under the occupied seat hours or miles method by determining—
(A) The total expenses for the year under paragraph (d) of this section for the aircraft or group of aircraft (if aggregated under paragraph (d)(4) of this section), as applicable;
(B) The number of occupied seat hours or miles for the taxable year for the aircraft or group of aircraft by totaling the occupied seat hours or miles of all flights in the taxable year flown by the aircraft or group of aircraft, as applicable. The occupied seat hours or miles for a flight is the number of hours or miles flown for the flight multiplied by the number of seats occupied on that flight. For example, a flight of 6 hours with three passengers results in 18 occupied seat hours;
(C) The cost per occupied seat hour or mile for the aircraft or group of aircraft, as applicable, by dividing the total expenses under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(A) of this section by the total number of occupied seat hours or miles under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(B) of this section; and
(D) The amount of expenses allocated to an entertainment flight taken by a specified individual by multiplying the number of hours or miles of the flight by the cost per occupied hour or mile for that aircraft or group of aircraft, as applicable, as determined under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(C) of this section.
(iii) Allocation of expenses of multi-leg trips involving both business and entertainment legs. A taxpayer that uses the occupied seat hours or miles allocation method must allocate the expenses of a trip by a specified individual that involves at least one segment for business and one segment for entertainment between the business travel and the entertainment travel unless none of the expenses for the entertainment segment are disallowed. The entertainment cost of a multi-leg trip is the total cost of the flights (by occupied seat hours or miles) minus the cost of the flights that would have been taken without the entertainment segment or segments.
(iv) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this paragraph (e)(2):
(ii) For purposes of determining the amount disallowed (to the extent not treated as compensation or reimbursed) for entertainment provided to specified individuals, $5,000 ($1,000 × 5 hours) each is allocable to A and B for Flight 2, and $4,000 ($1,000 × 4 hours) each is allocable to A, B, E, and F for Flight 3.
(iii) For Flight 2, because Taxpayer treats $1,200 as compensation to A, and B reimburses Taxpayer $500, Taxpayer may deduct $1,700 of the cost of Flight 2 allocable to A and B. The deduction for the remaining $8,300 cost allocable to entertainment provided to A and B on Flight 2 is disallowed (for A, $5,000 less the $1,200 treated as compensation, and for B, $5,000 less the $500 reimbursed).
(iv) For Flight 3, because Taxpayer treats $1,300 each as compensation to A, B, E, and F, Taxpayer may deduct $5,200 of the cost of Flight 3. The deduction for the remaining $10,800 cost allocable to entertainment provided to A, B, E, and F on Flight 3 is disallowed ($4,000 less the $1,300 treated as compensation to each specified individual).
(ii) Under paragraph (e)(2)(iii) of this section, five occupied seat hours are allocable to G's entertainment (nine total occupied seat hours minus the four occupied seat hours that would have resulted if the travel had been a roundtrip business trip without the entertainment segment). If Taxpayer's cost per occupied seat hour for the year is $1,000, $5,000 is allocated to G's entertainment use of the aircraft ($1,000 × five occupied seat hours). The amount disallowed is $5,000 minus the total of any amount the Taxpayer treats as compensation to G plus any amount that G reimburses Taxpayer.
(3) Flight-by-flight method —(i) In general. The flight-by-flight method determines the amount of expenses allocated to a particular entertainment flight of a specified individual on a flight-by-flight basis by allocating expenses to individual flights and then to a specified individual traveling for entertainment purposes on that flight.
(ii) Allocation of expenses. A taxpayer using the flight-by-flight method must combine all expenses (as defined in paragraph (d)(1) of this section) for the taxable year for the aircraft or group of aircraft (if aggregated under paragraph (d)(4) of this section), as applicable, and divide the total amount of expenses by the number of flight hours or miles for the taxable year for that aircraft or group of aircraft, as applicable, to determine the cost per hour or mile. Expenses are allocated to each flight by multiplying the number of miles for the flight by the cost per mile or the number of hours for the flight by the cost per hour. The expenses for the flight then are allocated to the passengers on the flight per capita. Thus, if five passengers are traveling on a flight, and the total expense allocated to the flight is $10,000, the expense allocable to each passenger is $2,000.
(f) Special rules —(1) Determination of basis. (i) If any deduction for depreciation is disallowed under this section, the rules of § 1.274-7 apply. In that case, the basis of an aircraft is not reduced for the amount of depreciation disallowed under this section.
(ii) The provisions of this paragraph (f)(1) are illustrated by the following examples:
(ii) B Co. calculates the depreciation and basis of the aircraft as follows:
(ii) B Co. calculates the depreciation and basis of the aircraft as follows:
(2) Pro rata disallowance. (i) The amount of disallowed expenses, and any amounts reimbursed or treated as compensation, under this section are applied on a pro rata basis to all of the categories of expenses subject to disallowance under this section.
(ii) The provisions of this paragraph (f)(2) are illustrated by the following example:
(ii) In the same year, the aircraft entertainment use subject to disallowance under this section is 20 percent of the total use and C Co. treats $80,000 as compensation to specified individuals. Thus, the amount of the disallowance under this section is $120,000 ($1,000,000 × 20 percent ($200,000) less $80,000).
(iii) Under paragraph (f)(2) of this section, C Co. may calculate the amount by which a category of expense, such as depreciation, is disallowed by multiplying the total disallowance of $120,000 by the ratio of the amount of the expense to total expenses. Thus, $30,000 of the $120,000 total disallowed expenses is depreciation ($250,000/$1,000,000 (25 percent) × $120,000).
(iv) The result is the same if C Co. separately calculates the amount of depreciation in total disallowed expenses and in the amount treated as compensation and nets the result. Depreciation is 25 percent of total expenses, thus, the amount of depreciation in disallowed expenses is $50,000 (25 percent × $200,000 total disallowed expenses) and the amount of depreciation treated as compensation is $20,000 (25 percent × $80,000). Disallowed depreciation is $50,000 less $20,000, or $30,000.
(3) Deadhead flights. (i) For purposes of this section, an aircraft returning without passengers after discharging passengers or flying without passengers to pick up passengers (deadheading) is treated as having the same number and character of passengers as the leg of the trip on which passengers are aboard for purposes of allocating expenses under paragraphs (e)(2) or (e)(3) of this section. For example, when an aircraft travels from point A to point B and then back to point A, and one of the legs is a deadhead flight, for determination of disallowed expenses, the aircraft is treated as having made both legs of the trip with the same passengers aboard for the same purposes.
(ii) When a deadhead flight does not occur within a roundtrip flight, but occurs between two unrelated flights involving more than two destinations (such as an occupied flight from point A to point B, followed by a deadhead flight from point B to point C, and then an occupied flight from point C to point A), the allocation of passengers and expenses to the deadhead flight occurring between the two occupied trips must be based solely on the number of passengers on board for the two occupied legs of the flight, the character of the travel of the passengers on board (entertainment or nonentertainment) and the length in hours or miles of the two occupied legs of the flight.
(iii) The provisions of this paragraph (f)(3) are illustrated by the following examples:
(ii) The two legs of the trip on which the aircraft is occupied comprise 96 occupied seat hours (12 passengers × 6 hours (72) for the first leg plus 12 passengers × 2 hours (24) for the third leg). Sixty occupied seat hours are for business (8 passengers × 6 hours (48) for the first leg plus 6 passengers × 2 (12) hours for the third leg) and 36 occupied seat hours are for entertainment purposes (4 passengers × 6 hours (24) for the first leg plus 6 passengers × 2 (12) hours for the third leg). Dividing the 36 occupied seat entertainment hours by 96 total occupied seat hours, 37.5 percent of the total occupied seat hours of the two occupied flights are for entertainment.
(iii) The 4-hour deadhead leg comprises one-third of the total flight time of 12 hours. Therefore, the deadhead flight is deemed to have provided one-third of the total 96 occupied seat hours, or 32 occupied seat hours (96 × 1/3 = 32). Of the 32 deemed occupied seat hours, 37.5 percent, or 12 deemed occupied seat hours, are treated as entertainment under paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section. The 32 deemed occupied seat hours for the deadhead flight are included in the calculation under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(B) of this section and expenses are allocated under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(D) of this section to the 12 deemed occupied seat hours treated as entertainment.
(ii) Of the 24 passengers on the occupied flights, 10 passengers, or 41.7 percent, are traveling for entertainment purposes. If the annual cost per flight hour calculated under paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section is $1,000, $4,000 is allocated to the 4-hour deadhead leg. Under paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section, 41.7 percent of the $4,000, or $1,667, is treated as an expense for entertainment. The calculation of the cost per mile or hour for the year under paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section includes the expenses and number of miles or hours flown for the deadhead leg.
(g) Effective/applicability date. This section applies to taxable years beginning after August 1, 2012.
§ 1.274-11   Disallowance of deductions for certain entertainment, amusement, or recreation expenditures paid or incurred after December 31, 2017.
(a) In general. Except as provided in this section, no deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) is allowed for any expenditure with respect to an activity that is of a type generally considered to be entertainment, or with respect to a facility used in connection with an entertainment activity. For this purpose, dues or fees to any social, athletic, or sporting club or organization are treated as items with respect to facilities and, thus, are not deductible. In addition, no deduction otherwise allowable under chapter 1 of the Code is allowed for amounts paid or incurred for membership in any club organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose.
(b) Definitions —(1) Entertainment —(i) In general. For section 274 purposes, the term entertainment means any activity which is of a type generally considered to constitute entertainment, amusement, or recreation, such as entertaining at bars, theaters, country clubs, golf and athletic clubs, sporting events, and on hunting, fishing, vacation and similar trips, including such activity relating solely to the taxpayer or the taxpayer's family. These activities are treated as entertainment under this section, subject to the objective test, regardless of whether the expenditure for the activity is related to or associated with the active conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business. The term entertainment may include an activity, the cost of which otherwise is a business expense of the taxpayer, which satisfies the personal, living, or family needs of any individual, such as providing a hotel suite or an automobile to a business customer or the customer's family. The term entertainment does not include activities which, although satisfying personal, living, or family needs of an individual, are clearly not regarded as constituting entertainment, such as the providing of a hotel room maintained by an employer for lodging of employees while in business travel status or an automobile used in the active conduct of a trade or business even though used for routine personal purposes such as commuting to and from work. On the other hand, the providing of a hotel room or an automobile by an employer to an employee who is on vacation would constitute entertainment of the employee.
(ii) Food or beverages. Under this section, the term entertainment does not include food or beverages unless the food or beverages are provided at or during an entertainment activity. Food or beverages provided at or during an entertainment activity generally are treated as part of the entertainment activity. However, in the case of food or beverages provided at or during an entertainment activity, the food or beverages are not considered entertainment if the food or beverages are purchased separately from the entertainment, or the cost of the food or beverages is stated separately from the cost of the entertainment on one or more bills, invoices, or receipts. The amount charged for food or beverages on a bill, invoice, or receipt must reflect the venue's usual selling cost for those items if they were to be purchased separately from the entertainment or must approximate the reasonable value of those items. If the food or beverages are not purchased separately from the entertainment, or the cost of the food or beverages is not stated separately from the cost of the entertainment on one or more bills, invoices, or receipts, no allocation between entertainment and food or beverage expenses may be made and, except as further provided in this section and section 274(e), the entire amount is a nondeductible entertainment expenditure under this section and section 274(a).
(iii) Objective test. An objective test is used to determine whether an activity is of a type generally considered to be entertainment. Thus, if an activity is generally considered to be entertainment, it will be treated as entertainment for purposes of this section and section 274(a) regardless of whether the expenditure can also be described otherwise, and even though the expenditure relates to the taxpayer alone. This objective test precludes arguments that entertainment means only entertainment of others or that an expenditure for entertainment should be characterized as an expenditure for advertising or public relations. However, in applying this test the taxpayer's trade or business is considered. Thus, although attending a theatrical performance generally would be considered entertainment, it would not be so considered in the case of a professional theater critic attending in a professional capacity. Similarly, if a manufacturer of dresses conducts a fashion show to introduce its products to a group of store buyers, the show generally would not be considered entertainment. However, if an appliance distributor conducts a fashion show, the fashion show generally would be considered to be entertainment.
(2) Expenditure. The term expenditure as used in this section includes amounts paid or incurred for goods, services, facilities, and other items, including items such as losses and depreciation.
(3) Expenditures for production of income. For purposes of this section, any reference to trade or business includes an activity described in section 212.
(c) Exceptions. Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to any expenditure described in section 274(e)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), or (9).
(d) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. In each example, assume that the taxpayer is engaged in a trade or business for purposes of section 162 and that neither the taxpayer nor any business associate is engaged in a trade or business that relates to the entertainment activity. Also assume that none of the exceptions under section 274(e) and paragraph (c) of this section apply.
(1) Example 1. Taxpayer A invites, B, a business associate, to a baseball game to discuss a proposed business deal. A purchases tickets for A and B to attend the game. The baseball game is entertainment as defined in § 1.274-11(b)(1) and thus, the cost of the game tickets is an entertainment expenditure and is not deductible by A.
(2) Example 2. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(1) of this section ( Example 1), except that A also buys hot dogs and drinks for A and B from a concession stand. The cost of the hot dogs and drinks, which are purchased separately from the game tickets, is not an entertainment expenditure and is not subject to the disallowance under § 1.274-11(a) and section 274(a)(1). Therefore, A may deduct 50 percent of the expenses associated with the hot dogs and drinks purchased at the game if the expenses meet the requirements of section 162 and § 1.274-12.
(3) Example 3. Taxpayer C invites D, a business associate, to a basketball game. C purchases tickets for C and D to attend the game in a suite, where they have access to food and beverages. The cost of the basketball game tickets, as stated on the invoice, includes the food or beverages. The basketball game is entertainment as defined in § 1.274-11(b)(1), and, thus, the cost of the game tickets is an entertainment expenditure and is not deductible by C. The cost of the food and beverages, which are not purchased separately from the game tickets, is not stated separately on the invoice. Thus, the cost of the food and beverages is an entertainment expenditure that is subject to disallowance under section 274(a)(1) and paragraph (a) of this section, and C may not deduct the cost of the tickets or the food and beverages associated with the basketball game.
(4) Example 4. The facts are the same as in paragraph (d)(3) of this section ( Example 3 ), except that the invoice for the basketball game tickets separately states the cost of the food and beverages and reflects the venue's usual selling price if purchased separately. As in paragraph (d)(3) of this section ( Example 3 ), the basketball game is entertainment as defined in § 1.274-11(b)(1), and, thus, the cost of the game tickets, other than the cost of the food and beverages, is an entertainment expenditure and is not deductible by C. However, the cost of the food and beverages, which is stated separately on the invoice for the game tickets and reflects the venue's usual selling price of the food and beverages if purchased separately, is not an entertainment expenditure and is not subject to the disallowance under section 274(a)(1) and paragraph (a) of this section. Therefore, C may deduct 50 percent of the expenses associated with the food and beverages provided at the game if the expenses meet the requirements of section 162 and § 1.274-12.
(e) Applicability date. This section applies for taxable years that begin on or after October 9, 2020.