SECTION 10. WITHHOLDING

AND PAYMENT OF EMPLOYMENT TAXES.

.01 The portion of a mileage allowance (other than a FAVR allowance), if any, that relates to the miles of business travel substantiated and that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated for those miles under section 9.01(1) of this revenue procedure is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B).

(1) In the case of a mileage allowance paid as a reimbursement, the excess described in section 10.01 of this revenue procedure is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes in the payroll period in which the payor reimburses the expenses for the business miles substantiated. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)( 2 ).

(2) In the case of a mileage allowance paid as an advance, the excess described in section 10.01 of this revenue procedure is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the payroll period in which the business miles with respect to which the advance was paid are substantiated. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)-(i)(B)( 3 ). If some or all of the business miles with respect to which the advance was paid are not substantiated within a reasonable period of time and the employee does not return the portion of the allowance that relates to those miles within a reasonable period of time, the portion of the allowance that relates to those miles is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the end of the reasonable period. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(A).

(3) In the case of a mileage allowance that is not computed on the basis of a fixed amount per mile of travel (e.g., a mileage allowance that combines periodic fixed and variable rate payments, but that does not satisfy the requirements of section 8 of this revenue procedure), the payor must compute periodically (no less frequently than quarterly) the amount, if any, that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated under section 9.01(1) of this revenue procedure by comparing the total mileage allowance paid for the period to the applicable standard mileage rate in section 5.01 of this

revenue procedure multiplied by the number of business miles substantiated by the employee for the period. Any excess is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the payroll period in which the excess is computed. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)( 4 ).

(4) For example, assume an employer pays its employees a mileage allowance at a rate of 35 cents per mile (when the business standard mileage rate is 32.5 cents per mile). The employer does not require the return of the portion of the allowance (2.5 cents) that exceeds the business standard mileage rate for the business miles substantiated. In June, the employer advances an employee $175 for 500 miles to be traveled during the month. In July, the employee substantiates to the employer 400 business miles traveled in June and returns $35 to the employer for the 100 business miles not traveled. The amount deemed substantiated for the 400 miles traveled is $130 and the employee is not required to return the remaining $10. No later than the first payroll period following the payroll period in which the 400 business miles traveled are substantiated, the employer must withhold and pay employment taxes on $10.

.02 The portion of a FAVR allowance, if any, that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated for those miles under section 9.01(2) of this revenue procedure is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B).

(1) Any periodic variable rate payment that relates to miles in excess of the business miles substantiated by the employee and that the employee fails to return within a reasonable period, or any portion of a periodic fixed payment that relates to a period during which the employee is treated as not covered by the FAVR allowance and that the employee fails to return within a reasonable period, is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes no later than the first payroll period following the end of the reasonable period. See § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(A).

(2) Any optional high mileage payment is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes when paid.

December 29, 1997 30 1997–52 I.R.B.

of authority, the Commissioner may prescribe rules under which such arrangements or allowances, if in accordance with reasonable business practice, will be regarded (1) as equivalent to substantiation, by adequate records or other sufficient evidence, of the amount of such travel expenses for purposes of § 1.274–5T(c), and (2) as satisfying the requirements of an adequate accounting to the employer of the amount of such travel expenses for purposes of § 1.274–5T(f).

.05 For purposes of determining adjusted gross income, § 62(a)(2)(A) allows an employee a deduction for expenses allowed by Part VI (§ 161 and following), subchapter B, chapter 1 of the Code, paid or incurred by the employee in connection with the performance of services as an employee under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement with a payor.

.06 Section 62(c) provides that an arrangement will not be treated as a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement for purposes of § 62(a)(2)(A) if it—

(1) does not require the employee to substantiate the expenses covered by the arrangement to the payor, or

(2) provides the employee with the right to retain any amount in excess of the substantiated expenses covered under the arrangement.

Section 62(c) further provides that the substantiation requirements described therein shall not apply to any expense to the extent that, under the grant of regulatory authority prescribed in § 274(d), the Commissioner has provided that substantiation is not required for such expense.

.07 Under § 1.62–2(c)(1) a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement satisfies the requirements of § 62(c) if it meets the requirements of business connection, substantiation, and returning amounts in excess of expenses as specified in the regulations. Section 1.62–2(e)(2) specifically provides that substantiation of certain business expenses in accordance with rules prescribed under the authority of § 1.274(d)–1(a) or 1.274–5T(j) will be treated as substantiation of the amount of such expenses for purposes of § 1.62–2. Under § 1.62–2(f)(2), the Commissioner may prescribe rules under which an