Expensing foreign travel

[ContractorBanking]

I have a finance exam I need to sit in Switzerland – so I'll be expensing the travel and stay (and the exam cost).

I want to bring my wife along, her flight obviously won’t be expensed but since the hotel is already paid for, would there be an issue with expensing hotel accommodation as the receipt will say “2 people”?

thanks

[Darren at Fox-Bartfield]

Hotels

A hotel room would be required for the stay in any event, I tend to get a double room when staying away even when not taking the other half, can't see it being an issue however wouldn't try and get away with 2 breakfasts on the bill.

[ContractorBanking]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

As for the trip duration, I intend to go a 2 or 3 days before the exam, study whilst there and return straight after the exam - does that sound ok, or is that excessive?

thanks

A hotel room would be required for the stay in any event, I tend to get a double room when staying away even when not taking the other half, can't see it being an issue however wouldn't try and get away with 2 breakfasts on the bill.

[northernladuk]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

As for the trip duration, I intend to go a 2 or 3 days before the exam, study whilst there and return straight after the exam - does that sound ok, or is that excessive?

thanks

Why not think about it. What does that look like to anyone else but yourself?

Hands up who didn't think the OP was being liberal with the facts after reading the first post? :

[FrontEnder]

Sounds dodgy to me this. The travel isn't wholly and exclusively for business is it? You can study from home and just fly over for the exam, staying the time you needed.

You could probably justify the hotel stay for the days you need to stay over for the exam. Not sure about the flights though, since you're taking extra time for a holiday, might be tough to argue they are wholly and exclusively for business use.

[MrMarkyMark]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

As for the trip duration, I intend to go a 2 or 3 days before the exam, study whilst there and return straight after the exam - does that sound ok, or is that excessive?

thanks

Sounds like you are trying to get a cheap short break for you and your wife now

[northernladuk]

Which then leads me to ask... What is the exam and how is it related to your skill set?

Questions like this piss me off. Why can't people just give some facts and paint the while picture rather than giving the absolute minimum detail just to get the answer they want.

[Darren at Fox-Bartfield]

Thanks, that's what I thought.

As for the trip duration, I intend to go a 2 or 3 days before the exam, study whilst there and return straight after the exam - does that sound ok, or is that excessive?

thanks

Would agree with the other guys, this looks excessive. Could understand if you fly the day before for a morning exam then back home the evening after but perhaps a few days beforehand is a little much unless there was a course requirement onsite prior to exam.

[BrilloPad]

Which then leads me to ask... What is the exam and how is it related to your skill set?

Exactly my line of thought. I wonder if the exam is legitimate expense.

[northernladuk]

Exactly my line of thought. I wonder if the exam is legitimate expense.

I think you know the answer to that by now.