SECTION 3. BACKGROUND

.01 Section 162(a) allows a deduction for all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business. Under that provision, an employee or self-employed individual may deduct the cost of operating an automobile to the extent that it is used in a trade or business. However, under § 262, no portion of the cost of operating an automobile that is attributable to personal use is deductible.

.02 Section 274(d) provides, in part, that no deduction shall be allowed under § 162 with respect to any listed property (as defined in § 280F(d)(4) to include passenger automobiles and any other property used as a means of transportation) unless the taxpayer complies with certain substantiation requirements. The section further provides that regulations may prescribe that some or all of the substantiation requirements do not apply to an expense that does not exceed an amount prescribed by such regulations.

.03 Section 1.274–5(j), in part, grants the Commissioner the authority to establish a method under which a taxpayer may use mileage rates to substantiate, for purposes of § 274(d), the amount of the ordinary and necessary expenses of using a vehicle for local transportation and transportation to, from, and at the destination while traveling away from home.

.04 Section 1.274–5(g), in part, grants the Commissioner the authority to prescribe rules relating to mileage allowances for ordinary and necessary expenses of using a vehicle for local transportation and transportation to, from, and at the destination while traveling away from home. Pursuant to this grant of authority, the Commissioner may prescribe rules under which such allowances, if in accordance with reasonable business practice, will be regarded as (1) equivalent to substantiation, by adequate records

.01 Standard mileage rates .

(1) Business (section 5

below) 34.5 cents per mile (2) Charitable (section 7

below) 14 cents per mile (3) Medical and Moving

(section 7 below) 12 cents per mile

December 4, 2000 570 2000–49 I.R.B.

of the employee’s expenses deemed substantiated pursuant to rules prescribed under § 274(d), provided the allowance is reasonably calculated not to exceed the amount of the employee’s expenses or anticipated expenses and the employee is required to return any portion of such an allowance that relates to miles of travel not substantiated.

.08 Section 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B) provides that if a payor pays a mileage allowance under an arrangement that meets the requirements of § 1.62–2(c)(1), the portion, if any, of the allowance that relates to miles of travel substantiated in accordance with § 1.62–2(e), that exceeds the amount of the employee’s expenses deemed substantiated for such travel pursuant to rules prescribed under § 274(d) and § 1.274–5(g), and that the employee is not required to return, is subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes. See §§ 31.3121(a)–3, 31.3231(e)–1(a)(5), 31.3306(b)–2, and 31.3401(a)–4 of the Employment Tax Regulations. Because the employee is not required to return this excess portion, the reasonable period of time provisions of § 1.62–2(g) (relating to the return of excess amounts) do not apply to this excess portion.

.09 Under § 1.62–2(h)(2)(i)(B)(4), the Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, prescribe special rules regarding the timing of withholding and payment of employment taxes on mileage allowances.