Must Read: Palin Per Diem equals a Problem with the IRS??

[DemsUnited]

Was Palin supposed to declare her per diem and other expense reimbursements (including travel for the family) as income on her tax returns? If yes, then did she?

Once again, a DailyKos Diarist asks the interesting question...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/9/83535/11177/958/591971

[napi21]

1. I don't think so. At least you didn't have to a few years ago.

The Co I worked for relocated me 3 different times, and I was on a per diem for several months until I sold our house & found a new one. The Co. was required to add MOVING EXPENSES (cost of moving van & shipping cars) to my income, but not the cost of the motel where I stayed, air fare to commute or the per diem I received.

[gcomeau]

2. As someone who has racked up thousands in per diems...

...over the course of a LOT of overseas business trips, no they are not income. They are considered reimbursements for business expenses the employee had to pay out of pocket, same principle as paying hotel expenses. (I had to go out of the country for my company, I have pretty much no choice but to eat out every day, which can get expensive... so they owe me compensation to offset the hit to my own personal wallet that I would be taking for them otherwise.)

Of course, using them when you're staying at your own home and have no business expenses to pay out of pocket, technically legal or not, is just plain weaselly and sure as hell isn't the act of a fiscal conservative concerned with saving the state money. That is where the criticism should focus. She didn't have to put in for a per diem those days, she chose to squeeze a bunch of extra money out of the state coffers for herself.