Deem Mechanical

[John Markl]

truck fee and GPS don't seem to go together. If the IRS thinks the truck is for your benefit they want you to pay tax on that benefit. Charging the truck fee keeps you from being taxed. Outside of the HVAC world this is common with a company car.

Now if the GPS is to keep you for using it for running around town how is it a benefit?

A free ride, to and from work?

As a sidebar, I was on the city council here from '96 to '07. More than once, we had to deal with the issue of employees taking vehicles home. Many of them lived outside the city limits. Some of them a good 15-20 miles away.

What you as a technician see, doesn't always gee-haw with what the IRS or management sees. When you have a hundred people taking vehicles home every night, there are issues.

Most likely, the "truck charge" is to keep you from being taxed for your ride to and from work, which the IRS does consider (in most cases) to be "income".

[madhat]

Charge them for off hours parking and security, nothing is free

[JWB]

Local co. here charges $10 a week. Most of the guys say they look for a way to get that money back, like letting the truck run all day etc.

[Tech Rob]

Since Deem is sharing the cost of their business with their employees, I wonder if they are also sharing the profits? I wonder if the owner of the company has an opinion on socialism? My bet is that he or she votes Republican.

[wisconsinapp]

Since Deem is sharing the cost of their business with their employees, I wonder if they are also sharing the profits? I wonder if the owner of the company has an opinion on socialism? My bet is that he or she votes Republican.

I hope he does vote republican!!! Then I will like my job even more yet. But in all seriousness, they are very upfront with it during the interview process its one of the first things they tell you about. So if you are a smart person (not claiming I am BUT this is what I did) when they ask you what you need, just tack an extra dollar an hour or 50 cents an hour on there to cover it up. I did that plus got more, so I guess thats why it doesn't bother me at all.

[John Markl]

Charge them for off hours parking and security, nothing is free

NO problem....then you'll also get a 1099 for your non-wage income.

You're missing the point. It's a legal issue, not a monetary one. Taking a truck home is considered income by the IRS. If there's an audit, you'll find that out for yourself.

[chuckcrj]

NO problem....then you'll also get a 1099 for your non-wage income.

You're missing the point. It's a legal issue, not a monetary one. Taking a truck home is considered income by the IRS. If there's an audit, you'll find that out for yourself.

What if I am dispatched from home and only get to the office once or twice a week?

I see what you're saying but in my case it saves the co. money. So should they report more income since my first call every morning takes less drive time than if I started from the office?

[Tech Rob]

NO problem....then you'll also get a 1099 for your non-wage income.

You're missing the point. It's a legal issue, not a monetary one. Taking a truck home is considered income by the IRS. If there's an audit, you'll find that out for yourself.

Are the other 99% of the companies in the country following a different IRS code than you are?

[John Markl]

Are the other 99% of the companies in the country following a different IRS code than you are?

They're just wingin' it......As I stated earlier, my experience with the city council yielded the same situation. Taking an employer's vehicle home in many cases is considered income. If you wanna charge me for "storing" my vehicle at your house, fine....that's income too

Disagreeing with me doesn't change that.

[John Markl]

What if I am dispatched from home and only get to the office once or twice a week?

I see what you're saying but in my case it saves the co. money. So should they report more income since my first call every morning takes less drive time than if I started from the office?

That's between you, your employer's accountant, and the IRS...

You can bet that the companies charging a "truck charge" ain't doin' it for the bread.....it's a tax accounting issue. The pittances mentioned here, certainly would not be worth the hassle or the ill will generated.

[Special Ed]

If it's a legal issue then somehow take it out of my paycheck in such a way that I don't have to write the co a check.

Still don't see why very few co's actually charge that fee if it's a legal issue. Funny how the IRS doesn't come after 'em either, 'cause it's not like any of the non-compliant co's are cooking the books to hide their blatant dishonesty.

[hvacpope]

If an employer offers and good total package; salary,benefits,401k etc. I wouldn't make a big deal about them taking a few bucks a week for the privilege of driving the company truck, I mean if your making $30+/hr $15/week truck charge equals 38 cents an hour in a 40hr week, not a biggie.

[Tassajara]

taking the truck home for a tech is considered a non taxable fringe benefit it is not subject to federal income tax. You can look it up for your self simply by googleing fringe benefits it will take you right to circular 15 section 2.

I actually might have the circular wrong but just google fringe benefit it will take you right to it