writing off meals during REI meetups

[Lori Brittain]

Should I be saving my receipts when I attend local meetups for a tax writeoff?

[Basit Siddiqi]

If you are in a trade or business, you may potentially be able to write off costs to attend a meetup, and meals while you attend.

The purpose is justified as you are trying to build connections which is required within the real estate space.

The costs of the meals have to be reasonable.

[Michael Plaks]

Quote from @Lori Brittain:

Should I be saving my receipts when I attend local meetups for a tax writeoff?

No, because they are not a write-off if you're merely buying your own meal.

[Lori Brittain]

Quote from @Michael Plaks:

Quote from @Lori Brittain:

Should I be saving my receipts when I attend local meetups for a tax writeoff?

No, because they are not a write-off if you're merely buying your own meal.

So I could say that I purchased the meal for a client? I'm curious where the line is drawn b/c I can write off a meal when I am leaving my 9-5 job and going straight to a volleyball match to officiate (second job). And, I believe, if I were to travel for business, I would be able to write off those meals.  I just recently read, after my initial post, that meals with clients are 50% deductible if not "lavish" in price. 

I suppose it would be best to ask the members of my meet up what they do. HMMM

[Michael Plaks]

Quote from @Lori Brittain:
So I could say that I purchased the meal for a client? I'm curious where the line is drawn b/c I can write off a meal when I am leaving my 9-5 job and going straight to a volleyball match to officiate (second job). And, I believe, if I were to travel for business, I would be able to write off those meals.  I just recently read, after my initial post, that meals with clients are 50% deductible if not "lavish" in price. I suppose it would be best to ask the members of my meet up what they do. HMMM 

Lori,
You're new to the forum, so let me warn you what's coming: a very direct talk, the only kind I administer.

1. No, you cannot "say" you purchased the meal for someone else if you purchased it for yourself. I hope I don't have to explain why.

2. No, you cannot write off the meal between two jobs. 

3. Yes, you could deduct your own meals when traveling out of town on business and having an overnight stay. Cannot do it for day trips.

4. The other type of deductible meals is meals you provide to your business associates or clients, future or potential. In other words, you feed other people for a business benefit.

5. Asking your meetup buddies would be the worst, not the best, course of action. They are just as clueless about taxes as you are.   

6. Before your meetup gets "tax-creative" - no, you cannot take turns picking up checks for the group. This scheme had been attempted, and it was shot down in court.

[Lori Brittain]

Quote from @Michael Plaks:

Quote from @Lori Brittain:
So I could say that I purchased the meal for a client? I'm curious where the line is drawn b/c I can write off a meal when I am leaving my 9-5 job and going straight to a volleyball match to officiate (second job). And, I believe, if I were to travel for business, I would be able to write off those meals.  I just recently read, after my initial post, that meals with clients are 50% deductible if not "lavish" in price. I suppose it would be best to ask the members of my meet up what they do. HMMM 

Lori,
You're new to the forum, so let me warn you what's coming: a very direct talk, the only kind I administer.

1. No, you cannot "say" you purchased the meal for someone else if you purchased it for yourself. I hope I don't have to explain why.

2. No, you cannot write off the meal between two jobs. 

3. Yes, you could deduct your own meals when traveling out of town on business and having an overnight stay. Cannot do it for day trips.

4. The other type of deductible meals is meals you provide to your business associates or clients, future or potential. In other words, you feed other people for a business benefit.

5. Asking your meetup buddies would be the worst, not the best, course of action. They are just as clueless about taxes as you are.   

6. Before your meetup gets "tax-creative" - no, you cannot take turns picking up checks for the group. This scheme had been attempted, and it was shot down in court.

 I am 100% new and totally clueless which is why I am on Bigger Pockets.  For what other reason would I ask a question unless I didn't know the answer.  I appreciate the details you added, but I don't appreciate the condescending attitude.  I had a CPA tell me that I could write off my meal on the way to the 1099 job from my office job and also the mileage. I also read that if my husband and I meet for lunch/dinner to discuss our business then that is a write-off.  

I have done a lot of research and have asked this question elsewhere, and I get conflicting answers EVERYWHERE.  I saw this on a "tax expert" website just this morning.   

[Michael Plaks]

@Lori Brittain

It's OK to not know taxes and ask questions here. This is what the forum is for. What is not OK is to state hearsay as facts and confuse random opinions of random people with actual knowledge or, as you put it, "research."

You can never deduct meals between two jobs, and that CPA was wrong. In the past, before 2018, you could deduct mileage between two jobs but never meals.

You could have deductible business meals with your husband if they are occasional and have a legitimate business purpose. Not just a casual "so how is business going, honey?'

The screenshot you shared does state "be with a business associate." It should have added that you were to provide the meal for both of you. Even the IRS publications are not stating the rules clearly.