5 Reasons to Get Business Travel Insurance

Whether it is a brief visit to another part of the country or a week long trip abroad, business trips to visit critical clients and other important companies are a vital part of keeping any business running successfully; and for every trip, you'll need some kind of business travel insurance. If you only have to travel every once in a while, single trip cover may be sufficient, but if you travel many times each year you'll want to invest in some annual business travel insurance. Either way, there's no excuse to scrimp: here are five situations when the small cost of insurance could save you a lot of hassle...

The other company cancels the meeting at the last minute...

An ordinary holiday can be cancelled for all kinds of reasons, but for a business trip there are even more factors that can lead to a meeting being cancelled or rescheduled, leaving you or your company to foot a significant cancellation bill. Business travel insurance will cover cancellation as standard, so even if things change at the last minute, your costs will be covered.

You fall on or before the trip...

If you fall ill on or just before a crucial business trip and there is no-one to replace you, the consequences for your company could be catastrophic. Most good business travel insurance packages will cover the cost of replacing you with a work colleague (including their flights and accommodation) so that the trip can be concluded successfully in your absence.

Some vital equipment is lost or stolen...

Whether it is a PDA filled with important information on it or an expensive laptop with a crucial presentation, most business trips can revolve around a vital piece of equipment - if it is lost or stolen, it can hurt your wallet and ruin the business trip. Annual business travel insurance will provide you with year round cover for business equipment that is lost or stolen while you are away (and in most cases, they will pay for a courier delivery of the new item.) Of course, the data may be irreplaceable, so make sure that you back up any critical information on a USB stick.

Business travel is excluded from your existing insurance...

Many people assume that they have cover for business in the annual travel insurance they already have, but this often isn't the case. Many travel insurance policies are for holidays only and have exclusions for business travel. Read the small print carefully, and make sure you get full travel insurance for business trips if you aren't covered.

You need to be hospitalised after an accident...

Whether it is just a cracked rib or something much more serious, medical care abroad while you are uninsured is no laughing matter. With so many business trips to America (which can have medical costs running into thousands of pounds) it really pays to have some decent business travel insurance. As outlined above, many standard travel insurance policies exclude business trips, so make sure you get the right kind of cover and avoid the threat of massive medical costs.

Business Travelers Hotels

Not every hotel is geared for business travelers. Some are simply meant for holiday travelers, and focus on leisure features. Some hotels offer rooms geared for business travelers, with a stress on committed work areas. Once you've found a potential hotel, call the front desk directly and speak to the concierge or to a well-informed front desk clerk. Inquire about the facilities provided by the hotel such as internet accessibility, conference rooms; transportation etc. if the hotel has the features out lined below then you will definitely have a successful business trip.

Essential features of a great business:

Location: Hotels that are positioned near an airport or located in a city's business quarter generally cater to business travelers. Airport hotels rarely offer views, but they make up for it with expedient location. Location is why many recruiters characteristically plan interviews in airport hotels. It is easier to fly in, meet numerous applicants, do some work in the business center, and fly back home.

Internet Access in the Room: Most hotels offer some form of Internet access whether it's use of the business center's computer, high-speed access in the room, or wireless. The business travelers need to know where the next high-speed Internet fix is coming from, so he can stay productive on the road.

Speedy, Customer Service: Hotel specialists are in the business of providing good customer care. Business hotels make the important difference of offering good customer care quickly and proficiently. A guest's requirements must be met speedily so that he or she can concentrate on the professional reasons they are there primarily.

Business centre: It is absolutely a must for a hotel to have this facility. It should also be equipped with the latest technologies and state-of-the-art office equipment, services include tele-videoconferencing, high-speed Internet access, high-speed duplicating, printing, colour printing, colour copying, scanning and document processing, as well as courier, secretarial services, telex and fax.

Conference Rooms: Conference rooms or boardroom and a meeting room are a must if you plan to hold meetings seminars, promotions and exhibitions. These rooms must be equipped with audio + video conferencing facilities.

Easy Transportation: Business travelers need to be places punctually and with minimum hassle. Good business hotels more often than not offer transportation shuttles to all key business areas, or aid travelers with hiring taxis or private cars.

Restaurants & Bar: Business travelers need to be able to have the facilities of in hotel restaurants, to be able to meet associates over drinks, lunch or dinner. It's best to have at least two types of specialty cuisine restaurants and a bar in the hotel itself.

100% Effort:Good business hotels allow travelers to concentrate on their jobs by working out the small and big stuff (taking care of problems like misplaced luggage etc.). The extra level of service in a good hotel is a boon to the traveler.

On a business trip avoid family or holiday hotels and it is always best to research the business hotel before booking.

Business Travel

The globalization of trade and the World Trade Organization taking a leading role is defining new rules and policies in international trade and commerce. As a result, global and local business travel and their frequency acquired greater importance and urgency than ever before. Business travel for individuals and corporate executives is essential to maintain and promote business.

If you intend to travel on a business mission, you should plan the itinerary of your travel carefully. New air travel companies are surfacing to join the race to attract customers. There is a great competition to provide better traveling facilities at competitive rates. Air service companies are coming up with ingenious schemes to lure customers. These schemes usually take the form of special airfare packages for certain destinations within given spaces of time. Since business trips are usually short, you can make use of packages that include return fares, hotel stays, rental cars and cabs for local transport, and other services.

You should be careful to check whether you are being overcharged for your stay in the hotels to outbalance the undercharge on air tickets. You should also make sure the tickets in the flight you intend to board are available. You need to contact your travel agent well in time to avoid any last-minute hassles in obtaining the ticket.

Before leaving for your destination, you should make note of the distance of the venue of your visit from the airport and the means of transport. You may be allergic to certain types of weather, such as the humidity during monsoon in destination cities that are located on seashore, or the dry air of metropolises that may crack your skin. If you are traveling to colder regions, you need to carry woolens and other cold-weather gear.

You may not know the local language of the country or state you are visiting. You need a translator to communicate with your counterpart. Not the least important part of your planning should be getting to know the geographical situation as well as the time zone of the destination city you are going to visit.

Value and Convenience Close the Deal For Business Travelers ThroughoutMexico and the Caribbean

As the Caribbean is home to a number of spacious resorts - in many cases larger than those found in American cities - the region is an excellent destination for large groups and corporate getaways. In addition to ample space for large groups, the region's resorts offer incredible business amenities, numerous on-site conveniences and plenty of exciting ways to spend free time. Best of all, business travelers will find limitless tropical scenery surrounding the resorts, meaning inspiration or relaxation can always be found just beyond their doors.

As nearly all Caribbean and Mexican resort destinations operate under a distinct annual tourism season - generally November to April - the summer and fall months feature excellent values for business travel and corporate functions. During the tourism offseason, business travelers will still find remarkably mild weather throughout much of the region, while popular sightseeing attractions and recreation destinations are often better equipped to handle large groups. Additionally, many of the region's best resorts typically offer substantial offseason discounts, allowing corporate groups to secure rooms and meeting areas at rates similar to or even below comparable domestic destinations.

Business travelers staying at the best Caribbean and Mexican resorts will have access to all of the latest technology - including flat screen TVs, digital projectors, high-speed internet and multi-use business machines for fax and copy needs. As the best resorts offer easy connectivity for slideshow presentations, speeches and film viewings, business travelers won't have to waste time setting up for events. For conferences and large corporate gatherings, resorts can also offer fully-equipped meeting rooms with ample space and seating for all types of activities, while catering services allow guests to enjoy the combination of excellent meals and on-site convenience.

As passports can be one of the biggest challenges of international business travel - especially for large groups - the Caribbean stands as an excellent destination for both American and European citizens, as passports are often not required for travel to national territories. For instance, American citizens can visit the U.S. Virgin Islands - most notably, St. Thomas - without a formal passport, just as they would U.S. mainland destinations. Additionally, St. Thomas' resorts are known for having some of the best business facilities in the Caribbean. For instance, the island's largest resort - The Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort - boasts 15 individual meeting rooms and 60,000 square feet of event space. Business travelers can also enjoy the outdoors in open-air meeting spaces that offer excellent views of Charlotte Amalie and the adjacent harbor. The Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort also boasts 479 guest rooms - meaning the resort has plenty of space for large corporate groups - while five on-site restaurants and six bars offer remarkable convenience and help business travelers maintain productivity throughout their Caribbean stay.

Despite the excellent business travel facilities and values to be found throughout the Caribbean and Mexico, the region's scenery remains the biggest draw. As the most popular destinations in the region are small communities with centrally located attractions, it is easy to take advantage of downtime during business trips. Tropical destinations throughout the Caribbean and Mexico offer guided half-day and full-day tours throughout the year that allow business travelers with tight agendas to experience many of the best sightseeing destinations. Furthermore, as many of the largest resorts in the region boast picturesque waterfront locations, it is easy for business travelers to enjoy all types of active endeavors or simply relax on the beach. For instance, business travelers can often enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, kayaking and many other water sports by making simple reservations through their resort or, in many cases, simply walking a few steps to the beach.

When combining the values available to business travelers throughout Mexico and the Caribbean with endless scenery and easily accessible attractions, it is easy to see why many of the region's top destinations have become such popular choices for conferences and corporate getaways.

Business Travel in Taipei

Business Travel Getting In and Out Easily in Taipei
Many people find it so excited when going abroad to have their first business travel thinking about having flying in business class, Benz waiting at airport arrival hall for pickup, staying in the 5 stars hotel and dinning in full course fine dining restaurant, and etc. But the days are gone for luxuries corporate travel budget. We are now back to square one with tight budget travel with kind of many restriction and lengthy guidelines to follow. No worries, here with years of business travel experience in Asia, the author can provide you the inside out information on getting around like local in Asia cities. Let's start with Taipei as the 1st stop of your business travel destination.

Pre-Departure Planning - Hotel Searching and Customer Location Identification
It is always very important to do some homework before you board your plane at your homeland airport, since you may not know what things will went wrong when you arrive at your destination. However, please do not worry so much as Taipei people English proficiency is high enough to help you.

Even you are working in a top multi national companies but still you need to find out where the corporate prefer hotel located whether is it near to customer site or very far. Since by understanding the locations of each customer site it helps a lot in planning the meeting time and arranging transportation to get there.

For big corporate traveler working in HP, Dell, Intel, GE, etc, usually they have corporate rate with Taipei Sheraton Hotel, Taipei Sherwood Hotel, Taipei Grand Hyatt, Shangri-la Taipei, Westin Taipei, Taipei Farmosa Hotel, Yu Shan Hotel and other 5 star hotel. What about for people that with own business or work in small corporate? It is too luxurious staying in such world class hotel sometimes it is really unnecessary. You can try out some business hotel which are mainly located in Chong Xiao East Road, Taipei Main Station, Ming Sheng East Road, Ming Quan East Road, etc. These business hotels are ranging from NT$1800-NT$2500 (tax included) including breakfast, one of the author prefer is Delight Hotel Taipei which is so convenient which the Zhong Shan Guo Zhong MRT is just 5 minutes walk and same goes to the 7-11 convenient store.

You need to understand where is your customer site as whether is it in Taipei city or in Taipei Prefecture. Customers sites are around Neihu, Shichi, Chonghe, Banqiao, Tucheng and some even as far as in Xinchu. If your customer is in Chonghe, Tucheng, and Banqian region, stay in Chonghe is a better option. A good hotel with reasonal price around NT$3200 (tax included) is Fourpoints Sheraton Hotel Chunghe, convenient store is just 10 steps away at the left hand side from hotel entrance.

Transportation and Access Information
It is not wise to get a hotel pickup at airport, as it is always cost few hundred NT dollars more than Taxi and sometimes even a thousands dollar NT more than pre-arrange private service car that a lot of MNC applied which we called it "MiMi" car (usually is Toyota Camry 2.4L version, not too bad at all!). Hotel pickup cost range of NT$1900-NT$3000 depends on what type of limousine you ordered; taxi cost about NT$1100 to Taipei city; "MiMi" car cost about NT$800 to inner city of Taipei. If you are not rush, try the shuttle bus cost about NT$110-NT$150, only 10% of what you paid for taxi! It takes about an hour to reach Taipei city. Just find out your hotel address and show to the lady at the bus ticket counter, she will let you know which bus to take. Just ensure you counter check with bus driver asking him when approaching your stop, please remind you to get off. No worries, once you are in the Taipei city, can get taxi easily and getting around will cost little only within NT$100-NT$250.

Once you are in the city after check-in, you can travel around using the subway or MRT which is so convenient and easy to go anyway. So it is important to find a hotel which is nearer to MRT station as it will help you save a lot of your transportation fees. Since MRT cost so little from NT$20 onwards, with EasyCard you will have 40% discount! Just get one at the subway ticket counter.

Business Dinning and Personal Dinning Sharing
Do you know business travel does not mean you only suppose to have your meals in 5 start restaurant, you too can have the same quality of foods in a lot of local restaurant or even at night market. Save you some dollars for raining days use. Business dinning can have it in any Taipei city restaurant which you can easily find it. Here which the author want to share more is the night market foods which foreign business traveler should try out after a whole day of tiring business meetings. Check out Shiling night market just board the MRT at any station along the red color subway line and stop at Jiantan station. Don't straight go after the food court at Shiling market, instead go into the night market place and check out the small hawker stores beside the road, some really cool delicious foods like fried chicken drumstick, jelly drink, ice cream rap in thin flour with peanuts, crab meat soup and many more. One should not miss is the ice shop inside one of the valley beside main street of Shiling night market, selling all sort of milky shredded ice with many different kinds of toppings. Try out the strawberry or mango toppings, really delicious! Business travel can be fun, too!

Deductible Business Travel Expenses Allowed by the IRS

Figuring out which business travel expenses are tax-deductible according to IRS regulations can be tricky, especially if you are running on your own business and you don't want to visit your accountant with every little question. What gets even trickier is trying to decipher whether travel expenses are deductible if you have combined a business trip with some leisure activities.

This article outlines the basic travel expenses that you can deduct as a legitimate business expense. But before diving in, I need to give you a definition, and that is the definition of a business day.

What Does the IRS Consider a Business Day?
Any of these qualify as a business day:

- a day on which you travel getting to and from your business destination
- a day when you spend at least 4 hours on business related activities
- a day when you have a pre-scheduled appointment

The first two are relatively simple to understand. Just be sure you have documentation to back up your travel, such as ticket stubs. On days when you are spending at least 4 hours on business activities, your activity log serves as documentation.

On days when you have a pre-scheduled appointment, you have to be able to prove that you actually attended the appointment. How do you prove it? If you met someone for a meal and picked up the tab, the receipt from the meal serves as proof. Otherwise, you'll need to print out emails from before and after the trip to the person or people you met. The email from before your trips proves that the meeting was pre-scheduled. The email sent after the meeting (for instance, thanking them for meeting you) proves that you were at the meeting.

Tax-Deductible Business Travel Expenses
Now that we've gotten that definition taken care of, let's get down to the list of items you can deduct from your business travel. The related IRS regulation or publication is listed after each category.

Business Meals
Half the cost of all your meals during actual business days can be deducted. This is true whether you met another person for a meal and picked up the tab, or you ate alone. (1.162-2(a))

Transportation
This usually makes up a bulk of your business travel expenses. These expenses include rental cars, airline tickets, airport shuttles, taxis, and trains. (IRS Publication 463)

Laundry
Any dry-cleaning or laundry expenses associated with clothes that you wore on the business part of the trip can be deducted as a legitimate travel expense. (Internal Revenue Ruling 63-145 and 1963-2 C.B. 86)

Lodging
Any lodging costs, such as your hotel bill, are travel expenses that can be legally deducted. (IRS Publication 463)

Tips, Gratuities, Phone Calls
If you had to tip a cabbie, a porter, or a maid, then you can include these expenses as a part of your travel expenses. These should be associated with business days. Business related phone calls, whether local or long distance, may also be deducted. (1.162-2(a) and IRS Publication 463)

Does that sound simple enough? As always, remember that the devil is in the details, or in this case, the documentation. This article outlines all the legal business travel expenses you can deduct, but you really can only deduct these if they are properly documented. So deduct away as long as your document!

How to Shop for the Best Luggage for Business Travel

When it comes to picking the ideal luggage for business travel, there are many options ranging from different prices, colors, materials, and styles. However, there is nothing more disappointing than the experience of getting cheap bags that will only last through a few trips. Buying luggage with your vacation in mind is not the only think to consider before going shopping.

So you are a business traveler and as part of your job are required to travel on a regular basis. If this sounds like you then you are in need of some great Samsonite luggage to protect your personal belongings as you travel. Most business travelers are always in a hurry so they don't really have time to pack several bags and check them at the airport. Instead, business travelers need luggage that will hold all of their necessary belongings yet still are compact enough to be a carry on. Fortunately, there are a variety of Samsonite luggage pieces that are designed with the business traveler in mind.

For example, a hanging bag that is perfect for a suit or two that may then be rolled over to form a small carry on is just one of the options that business travelers may take advantage of. This bag may be packed with the business man or woman's essentials and then carried on the plane so when the plane land the individual simply needs to get off the plane and head to their final destination without wasting any time stopping off and waiting for their checked luggage. The following tips will help business traveler buy the best luggage.

Tip #1 Carry On

Business travelers must ensure that the luggage they buy may be carried on. So be sure to follow the size guidelines offered by the airlines so you know what you are buying will fit in the overhead compartment. You will be relieved when your flight lands late and you can take off running without having to wait the extra half hour or so for your luggage.

Tip #2 Compartments

Having plenty of compartments is another important tip for business travelers. When there are multiple compartments that means all items will be packed safely without concern for one's shaving cream exploding onto one's business suit.

Tip #3 Wheels

Business travelers do a lot of traveling, boarding planes, and plenty of waling. As a result it is important for business travelers to have luggage with wheels to make it easier to get around the airports, hotels, and the like.

Do Not Let Business Travel Disrupt Your Fitness

You have your ticket, you are packed, and the airport van is picking you up for your next business trip. Leaving Sunday afternoon and returning Friday evening has become routine over the last couple of years. You ran your errands and spent time with the family. You managed a brief workout early Saturday morning so you could attend the kid's soccer games and birthday parties. Business travel is difficult. Lately you are feeling your clothes tightening around your waste. It has not gotten to the point of buying new clothes, yet. Ask yourself if this sounds familiar. There are more and more business professionals challenged with stressful jobs compounded by stressful travel. Surely, this takes a toll on the family and personal life[1], but even more important it could be destroying your health. When your health is gone, your family and job is in jeopardy.

Health and fitness for traveling business professionals is a serious concern, "But it is also a source of a variety of stresses, often overlooked or denied by both organizations and travelers themselves. The World Bank, studying its own travelers, discovered that both their physical and mental health-care claims were significantly greater than those of nontravelers."[2] The typical executive travels 3-5 days per week. They eat ninety-five percent of their meals in airports, restaurants, or fast food establishments. They eat late while entertaining clients. Most of them do not exercise on the road even though gyms are available in hotels. In addition, most traveling business professionals do not get the deep sleep they need. Any medical professional, or fitness expert, will tell you this lifestyle is a recipe for disaster.

There are several resources offering ways to eat right and workout while traveling.[3] Videos abound on exercises you can use while traveling.[4] Still with all this information available, the vast majority of business travelers fail to eat right and workout on the road. Why is this? The problem is more behavior than access to good food and workout facilities. The solution is more education about fitness, not more facilities, workouts, and supplements. People who understand "why" about anything tend to accept and change more than those who do not take the time to understand a subject. Think about this principal. Continuing education is designed to make you more proficient at your job. The more you know and experience the more valuable you become to your employer. Your self-worth and self-esteem increases. This is true when it comes to fitness. The difference is you are your own boss. Here lies the root cause of the problem. If fitness is not a priority in your life, you have too many irons in the fire, you are stretched thin, and now your travel time takes up twenty percent of your waking hours, then you will put fitness on the back burner. The next thing you know you are twenty-five pounds heavier, your body fat percent is nearing obesity, and you have little energy at the end of the workday. At this point, your doctor informs you that your blood pressure is elevating and recommends blood pressure medicine.

A CEO who has all the distractions mentioned earlier recognizes the problem, does not drop everything, and still attacks the specific problem. They would contract a professional, e.g. lawyer, CPA, or consultant to help them filter through all the information and establish a good plan to attack the problem. These professionals allow the CEO to attack the problem while dealing with all the distractions, and still achieve his/her goals. The traveling businessperson should have the same approach to solving their fitness problem. Their professional is a private personal trainer, or fitness consultant.

Private personal trainers have the ability to provide you the right amount of information you need at the time you need it without you spending large amounts of time researching nutrition or exercise routines. They have the ability to assess your current fitness level then design a nutritional and exercise program that works for you. In addition, they can continually assess you, and make changes that will allow you to progress. Good private personal trainers have the ability to council behavior as well as design programs. They hold their clients accountable the same way a CEO uses a consultant to help them maintain accountability for a strategy. In most cases, a private personal trainer is more expensive than a gym personal trainer, but offer services that are more customized and personal. They are normally much less expensive than business consultants. You should consider a private personal trainer as an investment not an expense, the same way a CEO considers a consultant as an investment. So if you are traveling how can a private personal trainer help? You sure are not going to pay them to travel with you. The good news is technology helps to solve this problem.

Today private personal trainers have a wealth of technology available to them to help resolve the two biggest problems preventing fitness while traveling, i.e. education and accountability. Private personal trainers normally have their own web site. This web site provides the tools necessary to help their traveling client. Let us review a few tools that provide a near personal training experience on the road for a fraction of the cost.

1. You have access to articles, other web sites, and educational material on your personal trainer's web site. Your personal trainer can provide information based on your level of fitness. In other words, they provide the right information at the right time. You are not wasting time.


2. Your personal trainer can provide a private login on their web site that has all your information, e.g. measurements, training schedule, exercise videos, meal programs, etc. This section of their web site is password protected for your privacy. Google documents offer great tools for this type of interface.


3. Accountability is available with the use of Google's calendar and SMS notifications. SMS messages are pre-assigned via the Google calendar for clients. They receive alerts on their phone saying to snack, complete a workout, etc. Business travelers have the ability to respond through SMS text messaging, email, or a phone call letting the trainer know what they have eaten, or that they completed their workout routine. If not contacted the trainer will follow-up. This happens no matter where the business travelers, or the trainer, are in the world.


4. Clients can sign-up on http://www.fitday.com and enroll in their internet service. It is less than $10.00 per month and offers the ability to track and monitor nutrition, activities, journals, and moods. By providing their trainer access, the trainer can track all activity 24/7. This combines nutrition, exercise, and behavior extremely well. This provides the trainer the information needed to council clients through a variety of virtual techniques, e.g. SMS texting, web site response, email, phone call, or SKYPE.


5. Skype, Google Video Talk, and other video conferencing tools allow clients to schedule times with their trainer in order for the trainer to view the business traveler's workout. This is convenient if they are working out in a hotel room.


6. Finally, it is important to meet at least once a week when possible with your personal trainer face-to-face to celebrate your progress, establish new measurements, and set new goals.

How Companies Can Cut Costs on Business Travel

With countries just starting to get over the economic downturn that affected the world in 2009, companies that have survived are always on the look out for ways to cut costs. Business travel is one of the areas that take up a large amount of company spending. It is true that travel is necessary for businesses whether it is within the country or abroad. However there are ways to reduce on the costs of business travel and thus save your company money.

1. Use of technology. With modern technology now available like web conference and video calling, it may no longer be necessary to travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars in order to attend a conference or be in the same geographically location with the person or people you are doing business with.

2. Use of one credit card to buy company travel. One major benefit of doing this is that the company will accumulate frequent flyer miles from different airlines and even from hotels which will eventually translate into various awards, like upgrades on the class of travel by an airline, free air tickets, free hotel accommodation and even airport transfers which may be a saving for the company.

3. Negotiate with airlines and hotels for special rates. It is surprising how many companies do not do this and yet the amount of money saved in business travel can be enormous if a company negotiated preferential rates with airlines and hotels many of whom are very ready to provide this if it will mean the organisation patronising their services.

4. Have a company travel policy. Lack of a company policy on travel can lead to unnecessary travel abroad, including excessive spending on air travel and hotel accommodation. A company should have strict policies on when travel can be undertaken and by whom and staff members should be made aware of these policies. Also there should be accountability for any business travel done including reason for travel, class of travel, hotels stayed in and number of days spent on business travel.

5. If your company uses a travel management company to handle its travel and hotel bookings, it is important that they are aware of your company's travel policy and its desire to minimise on travel costs. You should use a travel management company that is willing to work with you in minimising these costs. If possible compare the rates of several travel management companies to determine if you are getting the best rates available in the market. This comparison should be done on a regular basis. Also from time to time, you should ask your travel management company to issue you with reports of all the travel done by your company to help you monitor and know how much you are spending on travel.

Proving to the IRS That Your MLM Tax Deductions Are Legitimate, Part 2- Business Travel

In the first part of this article series, I looked at the criteria the IRS uses to determine whether your MLM tax deductions are legitimate based on your "intent to produce a profit." In this second article, I delve into a specific category of tax deductions: business travel expenses.

The Major IRS Rule About Business Travel Expenses
There's one major qualification when it comes to figuring out whether your travel expenses are tax-deductible for your MLM business. Here is the rule:

If your business "requires you to sleep or rest away from your principle place of business," then you may legally deduct your travel and related expenses.

So what does this mean? Since you probably run your MLM business from your home office, the tax code allows you to deduct travel expenses for any trip that takes you away from home. That's simple enough. These travel expenses can include transportation costs (airline tickets, train tickets, or car rentals) plus related expenses like lodging, meals, and tips.

Three Additional IRS Rules About Business Travel Expenses
As always, the IRS can't keep their rules simple. In addition to the major rule above, there are three other rules about business travel that you must follow. Your trip must:

1. be usual and customary for your type of business
2. have the purpose of gaining a direct business benefit
3. assist you in and be appropriate for developing and maintaining your business

In the MLM industry, examples of trips that would qualify according to these three rules include trips for trade shows, corporate trainings, prospecting meetings, and trainings you give.

Business Travel Expense Myth-Buster
One more note before you dash off on your next business trip. MLMers are often tempted to justify any and all trips as "business trips" by saying that all people are prospects, thus all trips are business trips. The IRS isn't going to be happy with you if you follow this rule. To stay on the IRS's good side, be sure that you can prove that a trip qualifies according to the three rules above. The documentation can be as simple as emails between yourself and prospects who live in the city to which you are traveling, as well as documentation that you actually met with those prospects (such as meal receipts). This proves that you are taking the trip to "gain a direct business benefit."

The IRS has additional rules about mixing personal and business travel, as well as specific rules for documenting your business travel expenses, but this article should act as a good guide to get you started.

Internet Fax For the Business Traveler

On top of all the other hassles the modern businessperson encounters while traveling for their company, hunting for a fax machine to transmit or receive important documents shouldn't be one of them. In today's business environment, business travelers no longer have the option of wasting time locating fax machines and printers when a document must be immediately sent off to a client or business partner. In this age of instant gratification, time is of the essence, and business travelers must be able to send documents whenever and wherever they are. Begin: the revolution of the Internet fax.

Now business travelers can send an Internet fax quickly and easily from any computer with Internet access. A simple log in, upload, and fax number is all that is needed to transmit an Internet fax. It's that simple. Not only is the document immediately sent with the internet fax to the destination, it's stored on a computer or archived online for instant access whenever it's needed in the future. The ability to archive and retrieve internet faxes is critical to traveling business people, as this functionality allows for an unparalleled aspect of accessibility.

The Internet fax offers the freedom to concentrate on the most important aspects of business-building relationships, increasing sales, improving quality, and increasing production.

All too often, fax machines sending and receiving documents are unreliable or in need of a repair. Faxes don't come through at all, or when they do, there are huge black lines running through the text. Sometimes the text is so light that it's impossible to read.

Many business travelers spend precious time placing multiple calls and waiting by fax machines in an attempt to retrieve a readable, usable document. Receiving Internet faxes takes the frustration out of being in a remote location when critical documentation is needed for a business meeting or client conference.

The importance of producing exactly what your clients, business partners, customers, and employees need in a timely manner cannot be underestimated. Competition is fierce in today's business world, and a company's credibility can be irreparably damaged when documents are missing, late or illegible. When a company cannot produce an estimate, a report, a proposal, or any other important printed document, clients and prospects can't help but wonder how efficiently and effectively other aspects of the business are run. Too many competitors are available today to allow faxing issues to impact business relationships. Instant access to whatever kind of documentation is needed to maintain client relationships or bring a prospect on board is more important than ever.

The Internet fax handles incoming faxes as well as outgoing faxes. Business travelers have the option of having faxes sent to their computers via email for instant access, or the internet faxes can be picked up online or even forwarded to a landline fax when Internet access is not available. This kind of flexibility makes it easy for business travelers to use the method that works best for them.

Most businesses are struggling with how to streamline processes and procedures to make their companies more efficient. The more efficient operations become, the more productive the company is. Eliminating the amount of down time and money spent using out-dated technology can instantly add to a company's bottom line.

Waiting at fax machines to ensure that all the pages go through or re-faxing documents that were not received wastes an incredible amount of the modern businessperson's time. And that time costs money. Businesses can immediately see an increase in profitability when they leverage the functionality of the Internet fax to help achieve targets and goals as efficiently as possible.

Another aspect of modern business is how to go green. Many companies are investigating in alternative methods for generating power, reducing the supplies used in the production of their products or services, and decreasing their business expenses. With traditional faxing methods, expenses include equipment, toner, paper, and repair. There's also the cost of transmitting the faxes through traditional telecommunication methods. With the Internet fax, the electronic transmission and reception of documents can help a company go paperless. No equipment, no repairs, no toner, no paper. And, of course, less time wasted means more productivity-not only for the business traveler, but for everyone in the organization.

Companies looking to decrease the amount of time and stress involved in getting important documents where they need to be, when they need to be there now have an effective tool to increase productivity and profitability--the Internet fax. Not only does it make a company more efficient and effective, it allows for business people to travel with ease without always having to scramble for a fax machine.