Navigating Meals and Entertainment Deductions in 2024

As a business owner, understanding the intricacies of tax deductions, particularly those related to meals and entertainment, is crucial to optimize your tax savings and ensure compliance with IRS regulations. Over recent years, significant changes have been implemented in this area, making it essential to stay updated.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, which took effect in 2018, brought about substantial alterations to the rules for meals and entertainment expense deductions. While some of these changes were temporary, others have left a lasting impact on how businesses claim deductions for these expenses.

Before the enactment of the TCJA, businesses typically deducted 50% of business expenses related to meals and entertainment. However, the TCJA eliminated most entertainment expense deductions and reduced the deductible portion for meals to 50%. Temporary changes in 2021 and 2022 allowed a 100% deduction for certain business meals, momentarily increasing potential tax savings. As of 2024, the landscape for these deductions has evolved yet again.

Certain meal expenses now qualify for a full 100% deduction in 2024. These include meals offered free to the general public, food provided at company events such as holiday parties and picnics, and meals included as taxable compensation to employees or independent contractors.

Meanwhile, the 50% deductible category still includes standard business meals with a clear business connection, meals provided during entertainment events that are bundled together, and meals offered to employees on business premises, such as water, coffee, and snacks.

However, some expenses remain non-deductible under the current tax laws, including expenses related to extravagant meals, and entertainment event tickets.

Proper documentation is vital to substantiate meal and entertainment deductions. Detailed receipts noting the date, place, amount, and business purpose should be kept diligently. The names and business relationships of all attendees should be recorded, especially for client business meals or team gatherings. For company events, a guest list should be maintained, and the business purpose should be clearly stated.

It's also advisable to use separate credit cards for personal and business expenses to streamline expense tracking and differentiation during tax reporting. Implementing a written accountable plan outlining allowable business expenses for employees is another recommended best practice.

While the deduction for entertainment expenses has been eliminated, certain exceptions exist. For example, costs associated with recreational activities for employees, like a company picnic, can still be deducted. 

Tax laws are always evolving. To ensure you're maximizing your business deductions while remaining compliant, please contact us.