Question

Melissa recently paid $435 for round-trip airfare to San Francisco to attend a business conference for three days. Melissa also paid the following expenses: $680 fee to register for the conference, $270 per night for three nights’ lodging, $175 for meals, and $225 for cab fare. (Leave no answers blank. Enter zero if applicable.) (Do not round intermediate calculations. Round your final answer to the nearest dollar amount.)

a. What amount of the travel costs can Melissa deduct as business expenses?

b. Suppose that while Melissa was on the coast, she also spent two days sightseeing the national parks in the area. To do the sightseeing, she paid $1,220 for transportation, $820 for lodging, and $420 for meals during this part of her trip, which she considers personal in nature. What amount of the travel costs can Melissa deduct as business expenses?

c. Suppose that Melissa made the trip to San Francisco primarily to visit the national parks and only attended the business conference as an incidental benefit of being present on the coast at that time. What amount of the airfare can Melissa deduct as a business expense?

d. Suppose that Melissa’s permanent residence and business was located in San Francisco. She attended the conference in San Francisco and paid $680 for the registration fee. She drove 198 miles over the course of three days and paid $166 for parking at the conference hotel. In addition, she spent $340 for breakfast and dinner over the three days of the conference. She bought breakfast on the way to the conference hotel and she bought dinner on her way home each night from the conference. What amount of the travel costs can Melissa deduct as business expenses? (Use standard mileage rate.)

Answer 1