"Take your spouse to a nice holiday dinner and expense it"

[Anonymous]

$200 tops. I worked for a European company and they are more frugal with funds. Salaries are lower, taxes are higher.

[Anonymous]

I’d say $300-$400.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH works for a European based company. They didn't include the US team in the holiday party and instead said take your spouse out to a nice holiday dinner and expense it.

What amount do you think is reasonable for a "nice holiday dinner"?

That's illegal.

How so? It's no different than a spouse accompanying the employee to a company paid holiday party.

It doesn’t meet the tax requirements to “expense it” if that’s the manner it was used.

NP and you're just assuming it won't be a taxable reimbursement. I get reimbursed for home internet at my company but it is taxable.

[Anonymous]

I'd just have him ask. DH's old company used to do thid and the cap was $300

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$200 tops. I worked for a European company and they are more frugal with funds. Salaries are lower, taxes are higher.

This. I think most European countries would be quite surprised by a $500 dinner bill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$200 tops. I worked for a European company and they are more frugal with funds. Salaries are lower, taxes are higher.

This. I think most European countries would be quite surprised by a $500 dinner bill.

Companies, not countries!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH works for a European based company. They didn't include the US team in the holiday party and instead said take your spouse out to a nice holiday dinner and expense it.

What amount do you think is reasonable for a "nice holiday dinner"?

That's illegal.

How so? It's no different than a spouse accompanying the employee to a company paid holiday party.

It doesn’t meet the tax requirements to “expense it” if that’s the manner it was used.

NP and you're just assuming it won't be a taxable reimbursement. I get reimbursed for home internet at my company but it is taxable.

I’m not assuming anything, hence the words “if that’s the manner it was used in”. I am not the same poster who called it illegal BTW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH works for a European based company. They didn't include the US team in the holiday party and instead said take your spouse out to a nice holiday dinner and expense it.

What amount do you think is reasonable for a "nice holiday dinner"?

That's illegal.

How so? It's no different than a spouse accompanying the employee to a company paid holiday party.

It doesn’t meet the tax requirements to “expense it” if that’s the manner it was used.

Who said they were going to deduct it

[Anonymous]

Just ask.

[Anonymous]

My old department used to do this! I loved it. But they have a $ amt. $250 was ever the max, which was plenty for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$200 tops. I worked for a European company and they are more frugal with funds. Salaries are lower, taxes are higher.

This. I think most European countries would be quite surprised by a $500 dinner bill.

Companies, not countries!

yeah but this sort of thing is more expensive there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd say 300 max.

+1 you could push it to 400, but I think that would raise an eyebrow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH works for a European based company. They didn't include the US team in the holiday party and instead said take your spouse out to a nice holiday dinner and expense it.

What amount do you think is reasonable for a "nice holiday dinner"?

That's illegal.

How so? It's no different than a spouse accompanying the employee to a company paid holiday party.

It doesn’t meet the tax requirements to “expense it” if that’s the manner it was used.

Who said they were going to deduct it

If you say that in the business tax world, it often infers they will.
If the business does it properly, then no it’s not illegal. But it seems it would be easier to just give them a bonus instead of telling them to go out and expense it and that’s why the person said it doesn’t sound legal.

[Anonymous]

$400 was my gut instinct for nice in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH works for a European based company. They didn't include the US team in the holiday party and instead said take your spouse out to a nice holiday dinner and expense it.

What amount do you think is reasonable for a "nice holiday dinner"?

That's illegal.

How so? It's no different than a spouse accompanying the employee to a company paid holiday party.

It doesn’t meet the tax requirements to “expense it” if that’s the manner it was used.

Who said they were going to deduct it

If you say that in the business tax world, it often infers they will.
If the business does it properly, then no it’s not illegal. But it seems it would be easier to just give them a bonus instead of telling them to go out and expense it and that’s why the person said it doesn’t sound legal.

Yeah the wording is sketchy, but maybe they will do the accounting above board. But as to why the company may do it this way is possibly because this was an afterthought, and they're trying to create some sense of parity. Also, adding $200 extra into a paycheck doesn't really have the same feel as "take your spouse out for a nice dinner on us -- sorry we couldnt have you at our party this year!"