Should I submit mileage reimbursement? (owner, job, companies, tax)

[MattNguyen]

I drive to visit customer about once a month but have never submitted mileage reimbursement. Some of my coworkers do it and some don't. The reimbursement would be around $35 to $50 for each trip so the total is about $500 a year. I am in the US and my boss is in Europe and he would be the person approving these reimbursements. He is too busy and already working over 12 hours a day that I am thinking about not bothering him with these small expense reports. If you are my supervisor, what would you think if I submit the mileage reimbursements?

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by MattNguyen

I drive to visit customer about once a month but have never submitted mileage reimbursement. Some of my coworkers do it and some don't. The reimbursement would be around $35 to $50 for each trip so the total is about $500 a year. I am in the US and my boss is in Europe and he would be the person approving these reimbursements. He is too busy and already working over 12 hours a day that I am thinking about not bothering him with these small expense reports. If you are my supervisor, what would you think if I submit the mileage reimbursements?

If your company handbook says you are entitled to mileage reimbursements, you should do it. But if it were me, I would do it on a more timely basis and not give him a whole year's worth at a time to wade through. Basically supervisors just sign off on these things and return them fast, especially if you have an online reimbursement system such as ChromeRiver set up.

[myrc60]

Yes, you should submit them. Some companies have rules regarding when they must be submitted meaning that very old expenses may not be reimbursed if submitted very late.

[MidValleyDad]

I see it as a judgement call. Does your boss ever ask you about them? If you do it I would do it every 2-3 months, if the company allows you to wait that long (Some companies I've worked for wanted them monthly)

But in the amount you mentioned I would look at it more on the inconvienence to me rather than my boss. He will probably glance at them and approve them (along with anyothers he reviews) or have an assistant do it. I have an amount I am willing to 'invest' in my job without asking for reimbursement. Some months it is reference material I feel I need, sometimes it is things like thumbdrives or media that it is easier to pick up than go through the process to officially request. My wife does the same thing for her classroom (I think most teachers do, they can even deduct it with almost no documentation)

But if I go on longer trips (overnight for example) or have larger purchases I do the paperwork. It all depends on how much the annoyance v return is.

[skinnayyy]

I would bundle up the reimbursements. I had to do a reimbursement monthly, or whenever I felt like it for part of my cell phone bill. Instead of getting 20 dollars backs every month, I waited and just did it every half of the year and did one for 6 months and got 120 back instead.

[veuvegirl]

Absolutely! It's extra money that you should be getting for wear and tear on your car

[mskamelot]

why give up your deserved money?
I did rack up so much reimbursement on my vehicle for a year
owner gave me company vehicle following year.

[jaypee]

Submit them or write them off on your tax returns.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by mskamelot

why give up your deserved money?
I did rack up so much reimbursement on my vehicle for a year
owner gave me company vehicle following year.

That many miles sure claim them 9But I'm not sure getting a company vehicle is better given how they have tightened the tax rules)

My suggestion was for a low usage amount when doing the paperwork is more of a pain than the little bit you would get back.

I would say know the company rules about how long you can delay submitting it. companies I have worked for have gotten tighter about that. I think our company requires it monthly now. I know we can't go more than a quarter.