A travel expense claim form is an important document to familiarize yourself with if you travel for work. There’s no standard version of this document, as each company has its own version, but it will usually have a spreadsheet with places to fill in all of your travel expenses.
These claim forms are typically used by companies that do not use credit cards to pay for travel and instead require employees to pay their own way and get reimbursed afterward. Even if your company has credit cards for travel, it may still require you to keep track of spending with an expense claim form.
Another question many people who travel for work have is whether or not they can claim these expenses on their tax returns. For most people, the answer will be no, as they’re an employee of the company, and employees cannot deduct expenses this way. However, self-employed and contract workers can deduct travel expenses employers don’t cover. Keep reading to learn the full rundown of using travel expense claim forms.
Know Before You Go
Before setting out on your business trip, clarify some important parts of what is and is not covered for reimbursement. This is especially important if it is your first time traveling for this company, as different businesses have different policies and expectations.
The first thing you’ll want to find out is what is covered. Hotel, fuel and meals may be covered to some extent, but you’ll want to know how much the company will cover. After all, you don’t want to order a steak dinner if all that is covered is a burger at a fast-food joint.
Likewise, some businesses with a substantial number of employees traveling will have programs with certain companies, such as hotels. If this is the case, they may take care of the reservations and payment beforehand, so you don’t have to worry about it.
If your employer does not have someone handling reservations, make them as soon as you reasonably can. In addition to your hotel stay, book a flight and rental car if needed.