Released on September 30, 2011, Revenue Procedure 2011-47 provides rules for employees, volunteers, and partners who are reimbursed for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, or meals and incidental expenses only, while traveling away from home, to substantiate the expenses by per diem allowance rather than actual expenses. Also, Notice 2011-81 provides the 2011-2012 special per diem rates for taxpayers to use in substantiating the amount of ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred while traveling away from home.

For more information, call your professional tax advisor or tax preparer, or contact Hertsel Shadian, Attorney at Law, LLC at (503) 352-6985. Additional information also is available on the official IRS website at www.IRS.gov.