| For many years, the IRS has allowed you to | | | | took thosetrips. |
| deduct many of yourexpenses related to business | | | | Today we have a much better way to track |
| travel. If you drive an automobile in yourbusiness | | | | your mileage and travelexpenses. Software can |
| or work, you likely can deduct not only the cost | | | | do an extraordinary job of helping youkeep track |
| of yourgasoline, but can also deduct meals, hotels, | | | | of trips. An application running on your PocketPC |
| tolls, and more. | | | | (PDA) can make it super simple and convenient to |
| If you do a lot of travel for work, this deduction | | | | log your traveldata on the spot. |
| could be quitelarge. But there's a catch. The IRS | | | | The software lets you use drop down menus and |
| doesn't want people makingup trips and fudging | | | | commonly neededfields to quickly and intuitively |
| figures. To make sure everybody pays theirfair | | | | enter your information. Then,when you get back |
| share, the IRS requires you to keep detailed | | | | to the office, you can download the data ontoyou |
| records of yourmileage. And you can't go back | | | | desktop PC. There the desktop part of the |
| later and estimate your mileage. | | | | software instantlyruns the numbers and prints off |
| The IRS requires you to document in some detail | | | | all the detailed documentationneeded to satisfy |
| your mileage atthe time of the trip. | | | | the IRS. |
| Now if you've already had some experience with | | | | If this sounds easier than the old manual tracking |
| the traveldeduction, you know just how | | | | methods,you're right. Tests show people not only |
| frustrating keeping up with yourmileage and | | | | keep good documentationon EVERY trip, they end |
| expenses can be. The average person often ends | | | | up deducting MUCH more money at tax time. |
| up attax time with a shoe box stuffed with slips | | | | That means the tax you pay could be a LOT |
| of paper, each with amileage number scribbled on | | | | lower. It could alsomean your tax REFUND could |
| it. | | | | be much bigger. Either way, using a |
| Office supply stores sell a cheap little mileage | | | | PocketPC with the right software could save you |
| journal you canuse. That looks like a good solution | | | | big money whiledramatically reducing the hassle |
| at first, but the dairydoesn't gather enough | | | | and headaches often associatedwith the travel |
| information in the right way and -- shouldyou get | | | | deduction. |
| audited -- won't convince the IRS you actually | | | | |