Craig Lundquist and Kristin Becker photo
Ideal Wealth Advisors logo

Craig Lundquist, MBA, ChFC®, CRPC®

VP of Wealth Management

craig.lundquist@lpl.com

651-773-2757

 

Kristin Becker

Senior Administrative Assistant

kristin.becker@lpl.com

651-773-2821

 

Ideal Wealth Advisors

Located at Ideal Credit Union

8499 Tamarack Road

Woodbury, MN 55125

 

CRPC conferred by College for Financial Planning

July/August 2025

Combining Business and Personal Travel

Open laptop with black screen  on wooden table work space outdoors with amazing view on the ocean. Laptop on sea view backdrop

If you run your own company and travel for business, you may be tempted to combine work with pleasure. That's okay, as long as you don't trip up on tax rules. Your tax professional can advise you as to what you can or cannot do.


Tax-Smart Travel
Business owners know that travel expenses related to work can offer significant tax deductions. Generally, businesses can deduct the cost of airfare, lodging, car rentals and meals from taxable income when used for legitimate business purposes.


When you combine personal and business travel, it gets a little more complicated. You can still deduct transportation costs for you, but not for any family traveling with you who don't have a business reason to take the trip.


Also, you may only deduct the reasonable cost of lodging, which in this case would be single or double occupancy instead of a suite. You may also deduct the cost of shipping materials needed for business, your dry cleaning and even tips. You can't, however, deduct yout family members' vacation expenses.


Separate Expenses
It's important to keep detailed records, with the days, locations, time involved, names of people you meet and your purpose of business. Know that the IRS won't likely allow deductions for a day when you have a 15-minute meeting and spend the rest of the day with your family at a theme park.


You will have to allocate all of your expenses for tax purposes. For example, you may deduct the cost (including gas) of renting a car only during those days when conducting business. So, if you spend $500 for a 10-day rental and you put in five days for business, you deduct half of that as a business expense.


Finally, you will have to recognize the personal expenses paid by the company as an owner's draw and part of your income.


Be Prepared
As with any travel, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If you have a small travel-date window and live in an area with frequent airline delays and cancellations, consider travel insurance, and make sure you have the appropriate health insurance if traveling overseas.

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Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Ideal Credit Union and Ideal Wealth Advisors are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Ideal Wealth Advisors, and may also be employees of Ideal Credit Union. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of Ideal Credit Union or Ideal Wealth Advisors. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

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