If you've tripped on one of these hurdles, there may be a workaround. "A salesperson could speak to his employer and say, ‘Look, I'm laying out these expenses and not even getting a tax deduction,' " says Michael Mongelli, a CPA and tax principal with accounting firm Sax Macy Fromm. "The employee could ask the employer to make the expense reimbursable and adjust the sales commission if necessary." The business could then take the tax deduction and share the savings with the employee.
2. Who is harmed by dishonest expense submissions?