<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16414" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#d8d0c8> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>In my auto expense columns, I debit my auto expenses, and credit any charges for travel my customer pays. That way it is the difference that is claimed. Hence no conflict.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV>John M. Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada<BR><A href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=thetuner@ivories52.com href="mailto:thetuner@ivories52.com">Geoff Sykes</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=cy@shusterpiano.com href="mailto:cy@shusterpiano.com">'Cy Shuster'</A> ; <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech List'</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:43 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: charge for time?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>At the end of the year I deduct all my business miles, as a business expense, at whatever the governments going rate is for that year. I can't believe that it's possible to both charge the customer for those miles and then deduct them as well. Is it? I would think that it's either one or the other. Which one benefits us the most?</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>-- Geoff Sykes</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>-- Assoc. Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=046543805-08052007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Cy Shuster<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, May 07, 2007 10:11 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: charge for time?<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Most customers know the IRS mileage rates for business expenses, as it's the rate they get back when they use their car for business:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><A href="http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=163828,00.html">http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=163828,00.html</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>This is a good thing for them, so they think of it kindly, and it has an independent rationale (rather than being an arbitrary fee).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I charge about half of that as a separately listed mileage fee for trips of more than about half an hour away from home.  I set my trip odometer to zero at home, and note what it is when I get onsite, and charge for the round trip.  If the price of gas goes way up, I adjust the rate accordingly.  By using the round trip, it's pretty easy for customers to verify with Mapquest.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I also split the charge between all customers on the same day (because I schedule them in the same area).  This encourages them to find other customers for me, and it's a win/win/win for all of us.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Dan Levitan has a great concept to use: establish a "policy".  This lets you make exceptions, without rolling over completely.  For example, "My policy is to charge for mileage on out-of-town trips, but in this case, Mrs. Jones, I'm waiving it for you.".</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>--Cy--</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>