The highwaySTAR Meal Tax Crusade
We’re all aware of the enormous cost of three square
meals a day. For drivers who have little choice but to eat
in restaurants, the cost can easily exceed $40 or $50 a day
for a healthy, well-balanced diet. While few carriers offer
anything in the form of a meal allowance, drivers can seek
some relief through the tax code. In 2001, highwaySTAR reported
the Don Wilkinson case to the world, and suddenly the picture
changed. Truckers used to claiming 50% of $33 per day were
shown by Wilkinson that the Canadian Customs and Revenue Agency
(CCRA) would have to accept “an amount deem reasonable
in the circumstances” instead of the previously mentioned
figure. 
HighwaySTAR has pursued this issue vigorously since we first
reported Wilkinson’s Tax Court victory, and we’ve
since heard from hundreds of readers who have successfully
applied Don Wilkinson’s strategy to their own meal claims.
There’s nothing fishy going on here, and nobody is skirting
the law. It’s all about interpreting the tax code properly,
and we continue to support and encourage drivers and owner-operators
alike to take a more aggressive stand with their meal claims.
The links below will take you to various stories we’ve
run on the Meal Tax issue, and we’ve placed them here
for your reference, all together in one easy to search archive.
We strongly suggest that you consult your own financial service
provider for a clearer perspective, but remember, if they
advise you not to follow in Wilkinson’s footsteps, it
may be because they aren’t up to the perceived risk
of making the system work for their clients. It may be to
your advantage to seek a second opinion.
For easy reference, here are PDF files of all the forms you'll
need to make your meal claim with your tax return.
CCRA - T2200 - Declaration
of Conditions of Employment
CCRA - T2200 - Declaration
of Conditions of Employment (print and fill out)
CCRA - TL2 - Claim For Meals
and Lodging Expenses
CCRA - Information Circular
73-21R8 - Claims for Meals and Lodging Expenses of Transport
Employees
Appendix "C" - Treasury
Board of Canada Secretariat - Travel Directive
In
the Magazine
You'll find these and other stories in the highwaySTAR
print magazine this month. Available at your favourite
truckstop.
- New HOS regs and team drivers
- An Alberta driverýs antique Kenworth collection
- Trucks that can back up themselves
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