We got a call the other day from a manager who was pulling his hair out over the way one of his firm's employees was requesting reimbursement for tips paid out of pocket while traveling. This particular employee was putting in for $100 for tips in one round sum each time he traveled. The employee says these are for things like having a cab called or bags brought to the room and perhaps for the staff that cleans the hotel rooms. Now, I'm willing to bet this is sending up a red flag in front of everyone reading this. The caller wanted to know how other companies handled tips and whether there were any IRS guidelines to help him in this regard. I said I'd ask my readers.

The only guidance I was able to offer was the IRS $75 limit for expenditures without receipts or perhaps a lower level set by each organization. He could request a breakdown of the expenditure-but to be fair about that it should be requested of every traveling employee asking for reimbursement of tips and it should be in the company policy. Many employees simply eat these expenses figuring they are of a personal nature. I'd like to hear from any reader who has an opinion or policy on this issue. As before, we will share the final article along with all the comments with all who contribute. Send your comments to publisher@ap- now.com with the words Tips on T&E in the subject line.

If you are plowing through B-Notices you might want to join us on November 1st as Carol Kassem leads a discussion providing attendees with the inside information they need to respond to Those Awful B-Notices Webinar.

The following week Jerry Michael will be joined by Tom Cotter with insights on dealing with the most common 1099 Form-at least for our readers-the 1099 MISC. As those who deal with it each year are ever-so- painfully aware, filling it out correctly is not as easy as we'd like. That's why when we decided to devote a one- hour Webinar to this topic, Jerry Michael went out and recruited a speaker from industry to help him with this session. So, not only will attendees benefit from Jerry's broad wealth of knowledge and expertise on this topic, they will also hear from a professional responsible for the issuing these forms for one of the largest companies in this country. He is considered one of the leading experts on this topic.

I had another note from Dr. Will Yancey, CPA about the latest tangle in the unclaimed property debacle in California. A Sacramento federal judge has lifted his ban on the state's seizure of unclaimed property, ruling that a new California law provides adequate notice of impending seizure and lessens the likelihood of irreparable harm to property owners. However, the group that sued the state in the first place intends to appeal his ruling. Now there's a big surprise.

The actions of both groups confirm AP Now's position on this matter. It is not simple; unclaimed property reporting is apt to get more complicated rather than simpler and the states are simply not going to give up. That's why we've planned several events around this issue. The first is the Webinar on November 8 featuring Yancey and Tracey Reid as they discuss the California situation and what it means to organizations doing business in California and the impact it is likely to have on other states.

There are two other facts that we find scary. First, most experts believe that only one third of all organizations who should be reporting and remitting unclaimed property are actually doing so. Combine this with the fact that most state treasurers have indicated they intend to audit all parties who should be reporting and you have a recipe for disaster for the two- thirds who need to get in compliance as well as those who are not complying completely. That's why we've planned an all-day seminar next April on unclaimed property. It will focus on best practices and offer advice on getting in compliance for those not currently reporting.

We've signed up three top notch experts to give the lectures and all have agreed to deduct the cost of this seminar from their bill should any attendee hire them in the next 24 months. We have a one-page flyer of this event, which will be held in Chicago on April 24 and are working on a full brochure. Send a note to publisher@ap-now.com and we'll send the flyer to you now and get you the brochure as soon as it is completed. Details are available by clicking here.

Speaking of one-day intensive seminars, there's still time to sign up for the Information Reporting Seminar to be held on November 5 in Chicago or on November 29 online. The Chicago event is $495 per person and includes both breakfast and lunch.

And, the same material will be repeated in a six-hour Webinar on November 29. The cost is $949 and you can bring the entire staff. There will be the opportunity to ask questions online throughout the day. Unfortunately, if you want breakfast and/or lunch you will have to provide it yourself but you can eat and listen at the same time!

Until next week, thanks for listening.
Mary Schaeffer
Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow