Reimbursement of personal funds spent for travel expenses
Individuals may use their personal funds (or personal credit card) to pay for expenses when traveling on behalf of a PAC or party committee and may receive a reimbursement from the committee for these expenses. The committee must report reimbursing the staff member or volunteer and, depending on the amount spent, provide information about the original travel vendors.
Travel and non-travel reimbursements have different reporting rules. This example covers reimbursements for travel staff advances. For reporting guidance about travel related advances, refer to:
Reporting on Form 3X
PACs and party committees report making travel reimbursements in the “Other federal operating expenditures” category on Form 3X, Line 21(b). Reporting the travel reimbursement 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 the reimbursement to Alexander on Line 21(b), including his address, date of reimbursement, amount, and a clear purpose of disbursement, “Travel Reimbursement: See Below.”
The committee includes memo entries for the original travel vendors, Schuyler Inn and Star Airlines. The memo entries show the vendor’s address, date Alexander originally spent the money, amount and a clear purpose of disbursement, “Lodging for conference” and “Airline Ticket,” and the memo item boxes checked.
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 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 21(b) Other federal 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.”
