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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] H.R. 606, Volunteer Emergency Responder Fair Mileage Act of 2007

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Thor Burfine" <thor@cpcinc.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] H.R. 606, Volunteer Emergency Responder Fair Mileage Act of 2007
  • Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 16:46:22 -0500

I will second the actual cost
No question on last years audit on the replacement of a $8,500.00 stock trailer that was wrecked out ( I wrote off about $3,750.00). I was just lucky it was full of 4-wheelers and not horses when it was hit.
 
I was able to show that 44% of its use was for SAR.

------------------------------------------
Thorton K. Burfine
thor@cpcinc.net
Creative Process Consultants
C – 832-651-6328
F – 832-550-2749
 


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:26 PM
To: 'Mounted search and rescue'
Subject: Re: [MSAR] H.R. 606, Volunteer Emergency Responder Fair Mileage Act of 2007

This is another feel good law that has no effect on the current situation.  If you are reimbursed for an expense the payment is not taxable to you as “federal” income as long as you do not try to deduct it also. The fact that you put in the expense voucher and were reimbursed is sufficient proof to exclude the payment from your income.  Further, if you were not reimbursed and the organization you incurred the expense on behalf of was determined to be tax exempt under IRS 501 (c) (3) or equivalent as all volunteer fire companies are by statute and most EMS organizations are by determination, and some SAR organizations are by determination, you can deduct the expenses incurred.  This includes mileage to training, administrative meetings, calls, meals, hotel bills, clothes, personal protective equipment, tuition for approved training, and some accountants claim, lost wages and or portions of other costs, such as vehicle insurance, based on the proportion used for the emergency response.  

 

As to the amount received, that is up to the reimbursing organization.  At least one fire company here in the East is paying over 48 cents a mile for personal cars used to attend training sessions at the county fire school. The only glitch is if they use miles instead of actual costs and you don’t get great mileage.  This also means that an EMT course costs $100 in tuition and typically a $1000 in mileage.  I strongly suggest that you balance actual cost versus mileage allowance when calculating your expenses.  With large SUV’s and pick ups, towing horse trailers, etc. the actual cost method is usually more equitable at tax time, particularly if you have had a big repair bill during the year. I drive a ¾ ton Suburban and have used actual cost for over 10 years without an auditor questioning the expenses, even when fairly rare but large mechanical repairs, such as an injection pump, were included in the annual cost basis.

 

The most important fact is that the organization you donated to must have a letter of determination from the IRS as to their tax exempt status if they are not a fire company since all other response groups must apply for a finding and fire companies should since calling yourself a fire company does not make you one.

 

The only way a reimbursement is federally taxable is if you already claimed the deduction (or you are committing fraud by claiming the expense from multiple agencies or did not actually incur the expense).

 

Irv Lichtenstein


From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Hal Sikes
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 12:22 AM
To: Mounted search and rescue
Subject: [MSAR] H.R. 606, Volunteer Emergency Responder Fair Mileage Act of 2007




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