Travel reimbursements
A committee can reimburse a campaign traveler for travel expenses. It must report reimbursing the campaign traveler and, depending on the amount spent, provide information about the original travel vendors.
Reporting on candidate forms
House and Senate committees report making travel reimbursements in the “Operating expenditures” category on Form 3, Line17. Reporting the travel advance depends on the amount being reimbursed.
Travel reimbursement is $500 or less
If the total amount reimbursed for a travel or subsistence expense is $500 or less, the committee should report the individual receiving the reimbursement as the payee.
Travel reimbursement is more than $500
If the total amount reimbursed for a travel or subsistence expense exceeds $500, the committee should:
- Report the individual receiving the reimbursement as the payee
- Report the payments aggregating over $200 to any one vendor as memo entries on Schedule B. Each memo entry must include the name and address of the vendor, as well as the date, amount and purpose of the payment.
The committee reports Alexander's travel reimbursement on Line 17, including his address, reimbursement date, amount, and a clear purpose of disbursement, "Travel reimbursement: see below."
The committee includes memo entries for the original travel vendors, Mount Vernon Inn and Star Airlines. The memo entries show the vendor's address, date Alexander originally spent the money, amount, and a clear purposes of disbursement, "Hotel for Conference" and "Plane Ticket."
Note that if the individual’s payment was made using a personal credit card, the memo entry must include the name and address of the vendor that provided the goods or services to the political committee (rather than the credit card company that processed the payment).
Reporting with FECFile
To enter a travel reimbursement, go to the Summary Page tab, right click on “Line 17 Operating expenditures” and select ”new.” To add memo entries for the travel vendors, right click on the travel reimbursement, select “Transaction Split.” Enter each vendor by clicking “add new.”
