Work-related travel expenses on my personal credit card?

What you describe is the norm. Man, I really don't understand this. I don't understand how companies have the chutzpah to do it, and I don't understand why employees put up with it. Why not require all managers to personally pay the salaries of everyone who works under them and then apply to the company for reimbursement? Why not require the mailroom guys to personally buy the brown paper and postage machines? Hell, for all I know they already do. I'm glad I got out of the corporate world.

duck, is that a recent case? The last I heard on the subject was in http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb02-10.pdf, when the IRS said that personal use of frequent flyer miles obtained through business travel was not taxable.

duck, is that a recent case? The last I heard on the subject was in 2002, when the IRS said that personal use of frequent flyer miles obtained through business travel was not taxable. Not sure...It could have been shortly before or after. It wouldn't have been much before 2002. The issue was definitely what the appropriate fare comparison was, so at the time of the case it would seem that the taxability was undisputed, it was just amount that was at issue. The link you provide suggests that the link was before the case because it says there's been "no guidance" on "issues relating to valuation". Also, note that it doesn't say they're not taxable, just that they won't enforce the issue because of the unresolved issues. Based on that, if you forced me to guess, I would say the case is more recent than the newsletter. But if you didn't force me to guess, I would just say "I don't know when it was."

Every salesperson knows the phrase "Find the raincoat!" It's from an old joke. Told baldly, a salesman is unexpectedly sent somewhere wet and to keep from getting drenched he buys a raincoat. He later expenses it, but his report kicked back by accounting - they won't accept the coat's cost despite the fact that it was only purchased for business reasons. He resubmits his report without the raincoat, but with the exact same bottom-line figure. Attached is the note "Find the raincoat." So if your organization isn't reimburse legitimate expenses, such as interest incurred because they don't pay travel charges promptly, one solution is to raincoat them. Taxis, meals, parking, mileage offer ways to offset your interest expenses and are typically lower than the minimum threshold for required receipts. This is, of course, fraud, and thus is mostly likely unacceptable. But fact is, it is an option. It's also why organizations shouldn't fuck with their employees expenses. Fraud is a slippery slope.

Until I got the work-issued Corporate Amex card, I told them "look, I dont have enough slack on my cards for this stuff" and made my boss pay for things with her card. Not a problem at all.

Many companies will pretend that you must handle these things on your personal credit until you push back. Where I work now, much of our travel is to China, sometimes for weeks. Air is handled through a travel agent (using your personal FF number, so the miles are yours), and you can expense your hotel and per diem or simply ask Accounting for a cash expense (not paycheck) advance (which I put in my checking account, using my check card as needed). The process is largely effortless, as it should be.

Definitely ask your company about a travel advance. If employees are expected to incur high travel costs, then the employer should offer either travel advances or corporate credit cards. In addition, you should look into the possibility of having the hotel and car rental charges direct-billed to your company. Generally, that sort of arrangement can be set up in a matter of days; they may already have such arrangements but are keeping mum about it to cut down on the number of people using it.

I was sent abroad to a very far-away 3rd world location, the cost of which would run into the multi-thousands for tickets alone. I have piss-poor credit, and it won't improve for 5 or 6 years (however long it takes for credit to improve from stupid mistakes), and I refuse to accept high-rate credit cards. I told the company I would not pay for the tickets with saved cash, and that I do not have credits to use for the purpose, and indeed that I would not apply for a credit card for the purpose. They buckled and bought the tickets. Push back.

Ask for a travel advance. They give you a check to cover the travel expenses, including per diems, travel, taxis, etc. This is what my company did before giving out company credit cards. As a side note, I do NOT like having a company card because I am lazy. I am more inclined to submit the expense reports when it is coming out of my own pocket.