Can self-employed individuals claim per diem for meals without saving receipts?

Yes, you absolutely can use per diem rates for meals without keeping receipts! This is one of the best tax advantages for self-employed people who travel frequently. As a self-employed person, you can use the GSA per diem rates (which vary by location) for meals and incidental expenses without keeping detailed receipts. You simply need to document the dates, locations, and business purpose of your trips. Keep a log showing the dates you were away from your tax home, where you went, and why it was business-related. Just remember a few important points: 1) This applies only to meals, not lodging (you'll still need receipts for hotel stays), 2) You can only claim the meals portion (M&IE rate) of the per diem, and 3) Only 50% of these meal expenses are ultimately deductible on your Schedule C. When using TurboTax, you would calculate your total eligible per diem amount for the year and enter it as "Meals" on the business expenses section. The software will automatically apply the 50% limitation.

I've been in the same position as you - traveling constantly as a self-employed consultant and drowning in receipts. I was so relieved when my accountant told me about using https://taxr.ai to help with this exact situation. The platform analyzed my travel schedule and automatically calculated all my eligible per diem rates based on the locations and dates. It saved me literally hours of work comparing GSA rates for different cities and doing all those calculations manually. The system generates a detailed log that satisfies IRS requirements and even creates the proper documentation showing which locations qualify for which rates. I just uploaded my calendar showing travel dates and locations, and it did all the heavy lifting.

I need to apologize for being skeptical earlier. I decided to try https://taxr.ai after continuing to struggle with my per diem calculations. I was spending hours cross-referencing GSA tables for dozens of cities I visited last year. The tool actually saved me over $1,200 because it correctly identified several high-cost locations I had miscategorized using standard rates. It generated a complete travel log that my tax preparer said was the most organized documentation he'd ever seen from a self-employed client. It even flagged a few potential audit triggers I hadn't considered. Definitely worth checking out if you travel regularly for self-employment.

If you're dealing with IRS questions about your per diem claims (which does happen, especially with self-employed folks), I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. I spent WEEKS trying to get clarification on some per diem questions for my trucking business, and their automated system kept disconnecting me. Claimyr got me connected to a real IRS representative in about 15 minutes when I'd previously wasted hours on hold. The agent was able to confirm exactly what documentation I needed to maintain for my per diem claims. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. It's basically a service that navigates the IRS phone tree for you and calls you back when an agent is on the line.

I need to eat my words from earlier. After struggling for weeks to get clarification about some complex per diem situations (I work in multiple states with different rates), I broke down and tried Claimyr. I was absolutely convinced it was going to be a waste of money, but I was desperate. Within 40 minutes, I got a call back and was connected to an actual IRS tax specialist who walked me through exactly how to document my situation. The agent confirmed I could use per diem rates even though I sometimes stay with friends instead of hotels (something I couldn't find a clear answer on anywhere online). This saved me from potentially making a mistake that could have triggered an audit. For anyone who needs actual clarification from the IRS, this service actually works.

Just FYI - the per diem method is great, but you should still keep a detailed travel log showing: - Dates of departure and return for each trip - Each place you traveled to (city, state) - The business purpose for your travel - Who you met with (if applicable) IRS Publication 463 covers all this. You don't need meal receipts when using per diem, but you absolutely need documentation proving you were actually traveling for business on those dates.

Been self-employed for 10+ years and use per diem for meals exclusively. Quick tip: don't forget the first and last day of travel are calculated at 75% of the standard rate. A lot of people miss that and claim 100% for all days.

Great question, Carmen! I've been using the per diem method for my consulting business for the past three years, and it's been a game-changer for simplifying my tax prep. Here's what I've learned: Yes, you can absolutely use per diem rates instead of tracking individual meal receipts. The key is maintaining proper documentation of your travel - dates, locations, and business purposes. I keep a simple spreadsheet with columns for departure date, return date, destination city, client name, and business purpose. One thing to watch out for that I learned the hard way - make sure you're using the correct GSA rates for each specific location. Some cities have higher rates than others, and it can add up to significant differences over a year of travel. Also, as others mentioned, remember the 75% rule for first and last travel days. I use a combination of my calendar exports and client contracts to document the business purpose of each trip. During my first year using per diem, I was worried about having enough documentation, but my CPA assured me that as long as I could clearly show the business connection and had accurate dates/locations, I was in good shape. The time savings alone made it worth switching from receipt tracking - I estimate I save about 2-3 hours per month not having to organize and categorize meal receipts!