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Business Cell Phone Use, to tax or not to tax?

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Well here is a good one, the IRS is requesting comments on three alternatives for substantiating business use of employer-provided cell phones.  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb09-23.pdf

The IRS has issued Notice 2009-46, requesting comments on several proposals to simplify the substantiation rules for employer-provided cellular telephones and similar telecommunications equipment (”cell phones”). Cell phones are “listed property” under Code Section 280F, a classification that triggers strict substantiation requirements. If those substantiation requirements are met, business use of an employer-provided cell phone can be excluded from income as a working condition fringe benefit under Code Section 132(a)(3). If business use is not properly substantiated, however, the unsubstantiated business use (as well as all personal use) is treated as a taxable fringe benefit. Under the “listed property” substantiation rules, employees must, by adequate records or sufficient evidence corroborating the employee’s own statement, prove the amount of each expenditure, the amount of each business use, the date of each expenditure and use, and the business purpose of each expenditure or use.

To deal with the practical difficulties posed by the current substantiation rules, the IRS has suggested three alternative substantiation methods for cell phones. The IRS anticipates that an employer could choose to adopt one or more of these methods under a written policy requiring employees to carry cell phones for business and limiting their personal use.

  • under one method, all use would be deemed business use if an employee had another cell phone for personal use during working hours, or if personal use of the business phone did not exceed a “minimal” amount designated by the employer (the minimal amount could be defined, for example, by reference to a number of minutes or by types of permitted personal use).
  • Under a second method, employers would assume a specified percentage of business use–the IRS proposes 75% business use and 25% personal use.
  • Under a third method, employers would use statistical sampling techniques–similar to those available for establishing the amount of certain meal and entertainment expenses–to measure the amount of personal use.

Comments on these proposals, and other suggestions for simplifying the substantiation rules, will be accepted through September 4, 2009. Comments are also requested on the methods currently being used by employers to determine the fair market value of employees’ use of employer-provided cell phones and on what simpler methodologies, if any, might be appropriate.

EBIA Comment: As the IRS has previously acknowledged, the “listed property” substantiation rules–especially the requirement that an employee prove the business purpose of each business use–are difficult to satisfy in the context of employer-provided cell phones. Notice 2009-46 represents a welcome first step toward making those substantiation rules more manageable. While this is encouraging news, employers should remember that, until substantiation guidance is actually issued and becomes effective, there are no special simplified substantiation methods for cell phones (as there currently are for employer-provided vehicles), so full compliance with the “listed property” substantiation rules is required. For more information, see EBIA’s Fringe Benefits manual at Section II.E.4 (”Employee Business Expense Reimbursements: Cellular Telephones”).

This whole article was taken from the EBIA web site as you can see from their comment. It would be great to hear how your company deals with this issue.


Still have Questions regarding COBRA?

Monday, June 15th, 2009

I found  this IRS web page for some Q&A I hope it is helpful to you.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204708,00.html

Personal Reflections for Today

Friday, June 12th, 2009
Some of today’s news we are hearing, really can get you down as a business owner. As a small business owner myself, we need to take some time and voice our opinions to our elected officials. After all, isn’t that why we elected them, to be our voice on Capitol Hill?  The following web site is the complete listing of our State House of Representatives and their separate web sites:  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/representatives_alpha.cfm This is for the Pa Senate:  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senators_alpha.cfm This one is for the US Senate:  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm And this one for the US House of Representatives:  http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

Sometimes I just don’t want to take the time to look these people up, so I hope this helps. As a business owner, I have sacrificed a great deal to own my business, I need to spend a little time keeping it from being taxed to death.

“all evil has to do to triumph, is for a few good people to do nothing”

I love reading the beginning of our great Constitution, what men of wisdom and valor they were.  Again I have included the link for you:  http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/constitution/text.html

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Follow this link to the Bill of Rights:  http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html if you have not read them lately, take some time, it doesn’t take much. These rights are who we are as a nation, a lot of good men and women died protecting these rights for US.

This is the America I want back! Maybe it is time to go back to the basics our government was founded on. Or maybe I am just a dreamer.

Employers Turn To Tech

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Came across this interesting article in one of my publications. What is your company doing or you doing?

“The International Association of Business Communicators, San Francisco, and Buck Consultants, New York, a unit of Affiliated Computer Services Inc., Dallas, have published that finding in a summary of results from a survey of 1,500 staffers at large and mid-size employers.

About 52% of the survey participants said their companies’ internal communications budgets have fallen in the past 12 months, and 35% said their internal communications staffs have been reduced.

But 79% of the participants said their companies are using “social media” to engage employees. Company blogs are the most popular social media tool, with 47% of the participating employers already involved in corporate blogging. Discussion boards also are popular, and more participating employers are planning to add discussion boards than any other social media: 33% of the participating employers could be adding discussion boards.

Twitter is part of the communications effort at 21% of the participating employers, and Facebook is a component at 18%.”

Tax on Health Benefits Weighed

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Wednesday June 10,09 in a Washington Post article, “the Senate plan to overhaul the nation’s health system is likely to include a new tax on some employer-provided health benefits that exceed the value of the basic plan offered to federal employees, curently about $13,000 a year for a family of four, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee stated”

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee he can be reached at the following address: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue and then GOP Minority leader Chuch Grassley and he can be reached at: grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Let’s reach out to both of these gentlemen and let them know they still represent US, and not themselves. As a business owner myself, I have had enough taxation! It would be nice for awhile to think my government has my best interest at heart.

More to come on this subject. If you find some interesting articles be sure to let us know.

Congressional Democrats release healthcare reform plans

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

It looks like Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) has released, with the help of others a proposal for reforming health care. As reported by ABC World News, “The key provision here is a requirement that every person in America have health insurance or pay a fine. Now the biggest, most controversial part of this bill is the creation of a government-run insurance program that would compete directly with private insurance companies. “

What are your feelings first that every American have health insurance or pay a fine? and secondly that our governement is going to compete against the free enterprice system we have in America today?

Cobra Laws

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Did you know that PA could have our own “mini COBRA plans” here are some of the details taken from HRS/TND Associates newsletter. Look for information regarding a seminar coming up in July regarding HR issues sponsored by ARS Solutions and HRS/TND Associates. Below are some of the highlights of the new bill.

  • Requires employers who employ 2-19 employees and offers health insurance to offerOnly applies to Medical Plans (does not include HRAs, FSAs, dental, or vision)
  • To be eligible, an employee must have been on the employer’s insurance for at
  • COBRA qualifying events remain the same as those under Federal regulations
  • Eligible for COBRA coverage lasting up to 9 months
  • Employers (or their designated administrator) are responsible for notification to eligible
  • Assistance Eligible Individuals are included in State COBRA
  • Employers may charge up to 105% of the medical premium
  • Timeline for getting out notices differs from federal COBRA
  • So are you ready? If not what are you as an employer or HR person going to do?
  • Share with us some of your ideas or frustrations over this intrusion into our business.