Does anyone know if this is restricted to employees or can directors avail of it as well?
Also has is this reconciled with long service awards such as 5/10 year presents which can be several thousand in value and are not taxed.
Long service awards can only be given for service of 20 years or more & as long as a similar award has not been given in the previous 3 years. Also long service awards cannot be made in cash - they must be a tangible item e.g. watch.
Thanks Envelope, what do you have to do to be eligible for the allowance, i.e. I presume you can't get it if you work from home etc?Its a daily allowance that is supposed to pay for meals etc. The revenue have a rate that changes each year for inflation and thats the one i use.
Its a valid expense.
Your accountant's judgement is probably correct.
While the payment of a €250 Xmas bonus to a director may well be technically defensible by reference to legislation, being seen to bend the rules in this way may raise the suspicion of the Revenue if the issue came to light during a Revenue Inspection or Audit of your business or in some other way.
No matter how tax-compliant you are, the last thing you need is to get on the wrong side of a Revenue Inspector during an audit. In that context, I don't think the tax saving of around €120 is worth the potential hassle. You would probably be much better off ensuring that you are maximising all your legitimate motor & subsistence expense entitlements for example.
I believe that you would be liable for BIK income tax and PRSI (?) on the benefit above the small gift exemption limit and (in recent years) your employer would normally be obliged to collect this at source. If in doubt get professional advice.I got a 5000 travel voucher for 5 years and 10 years get double to triple that - would I be liable or would my ex employer?