STATE OF CONNECTICUT | ||
NANCY WYMAN COMPTROLLER |
OFFICE OF
THE STATE COMPTROLLER 55 ELM STREET HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106-1775 |
MARK OJAKIAN DEPUTY COMPTROLLER |
MEMORANDUM NO. 96-07
February 5, 1996
TO THE HEADS OF ALL STATE AGENCIES
Attention: | Chief Administrative and Fiscal Officers, Business Managers, and Payroll and Personnel . Officers |
Subject: | Calculation of the Taxable Benefit of the Non-Business Use of State-Provided Vehicles, Calendar Year 1996 |
I. PURPOSE AND APPROACH
When a state employee commutes in or uses a state vehicle for personal business certain tax consequences result. The IRS views the personal use as a taxable benefit to the employee and has established guidelines on how to determine how much the dollar value of that benefit would be. In certain circumstances the State of Connecticut also charges for the personal use of state vehicles.
This memorandum is being issued to:
- notify agency heads and employees on methods to use in valuing the taxable benefit derived from non-business use of state- provided vehicles; and
- notify employees of changes in the rate used in the vehicle cents-per-mile method.
II. AUTHORITY
Federal Public Law 99-44, Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Section 61:
An employee may use a special valuation rule only if the employer uses that same rule. For the 1996 calendar year, the state will continue the use of the special valuation rules previously established.
III. VALUATION METHODS
The following methods are to be used in valuing the taxable benefit:
Personal commutation to work is valued at a daily commuting rate of $1.50 for each one-way trip or ( $3.00 round trip).
To calculate the value of his/her commuting or personal miles an employee would:
- select the appropriate method
- perform the calculation
- net out any amount that has been paid to the state as reimbursement for personal use (if the amount paid the state exceeds the taxable benefit for the tax year, the benefit equals zero. Credit amounts can not be carried forward).
- submit the required paperwork to his/her business office for inclusion in a payroll transaction.
Special forms are available to facilitate this process. Please refer to Comptroller's Memoranda Nos. 86-13 and 89-55 or the Comptroller's Payroll Manual, Section VIII, Taxation of Vehicles, for details.
EXAMPLE:
- lease value: | |
$ 131/month for 3 months 20 miles/day at 5.5 cents/mile multiplied by 60 days |
= $ 393.00 = 66.00 |
TOTAL QUARTERLY AMOUNT |
$ 459.00 |
- cents per mile - 20 miles/day at 31 cents/mile by 60 days |
|
TOTAL QUARTERLY AMOUNT | = $ 372.00 |
In this example the cents per mile method is the least costly. However, once a method is selected, the employee must continue with that method regardless of his/her changes in circumstances.
And in our example, if the employee reimbursed the state for Home to Office travel, at a rate of 2.50 per day for 60 days which equals $150.00, the net reportable benefit is $ 210.00 ($ 360.00 - 150.00).
Please note:
Special rules may apply when using each of these methods.
Once one of the valuation methods is elected, the employee must use it for all subsequent years unless the qualification rules are not met.
The Commissioner of The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) issues a memorandum concerning the rates for the reimbursement of Home to Office travel. Not all employees are required to reimburse the state. Questions concerning State reimbursement should be addressed to DAS.
IV. CONTROL EMPLOYEE
Control employees can choose only the lease value or the cents- per-mile methods for calculation of the taxable benefit. All other employees must use the commuting value method.
A control employee is defined as:
V. AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY
Agencies are to notify concerned employees of the preceding requirements and of the change to the cents-per-mile valuation rate (a one cent increase to 31 cents per mile from the 1995 rate of 30 cents per mile).
Agencies must continue to maintain the records necessary to properly determine and report on the dollar value of the vehicle use benefit for the period November 1, 1995 through October 31, 1996.
VI. QUESTIONS
Questions may be directed to the Office of the State Comptroller as follows:
Computation and
Benefits: Policy Evaluation & Review Division, 566-4265;
Payroll Procedures: Payroll Services Division, 566-5428.
Reimbursement
Requirements: Department of Administrative Services,
Director of State Fleet Operations,
566-5940
NANCY WYMAN
STATE COMPTROLLER
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