I know there are many options to take a CME cruise, where half of the day on the cruise you are in the classroom. The costs of these cruises are often broken down into CME costs and cruise costs. Can you itemize both of these costs (as well as travel to get to the ship) on your personal deductions? Thanks in advance.
Caren

Zip Code: Cassiopia_@hotmail.com

Here are the rules from IRS Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses:

Cruise Ships

You can deduct up to $2,000 per year of your expenses of attending conventions, seminars, or similar meetings held on cruise ships. All ships that sail are considered cruise ships.

You can deduct these expenses only if all five of the following requirements are met.

1) The convention, seminar, or meeting is directly related to your trade or business.

2) The cruise ship is a vessel registered in the United States.

3) All of the cruise ship's ports of call are in the United States or in possessions of the United States.

4) You attach to your return a written statement signed by you that includes information about:
a) The total days of the trip (not including the days of transportation to and from the cruise ship port),
b) The number of hours each day that you devoted to scheduled business activities, and
c) A program of the scheduled business activities of the meeting.

5) You attach to your return a written statement signed by an officer of the organization or group sponsoring the meeting that includes:
a) A schedule of the business activities of each day of the meeting, and
b) The number of hours you attended the scheduled business activities.


Enjoy the Cruise!!

Zip Code: cpa@mdtaxes.com