Employee tool reimbursements — IRS fires warning shot with recent guidance

Description

Abstract: An accountable plan reimburses employees who buy small tools on their own. These reimbursements are deductible as a business expense, while workers won’t incur employment or income taxes on them. But the IRS recently released Revenue Ruling 2012-25, which fires a warning shot at employers whose reimbursement plans may have fallen out of compliance with the rules for accountable plans. This article explains how to maintain compliance, while a sidebar offers an example of a plan that is not compliant.