Per-Diem Rates for Post-9/30/2020 Business Travel

IRS issued Notice 2020-71 which contains the special per-diem rates for taxpayers to use, after 9/30/2020, to substantiate ordinary and necessary business travel expenses.  Background An employer may pay a per-diem amount to an employee on business-travel status instead of reimbursing actual substantiated expenses for away-from-home lodging, meal and incidental expenses (M&IE). If the rate paid doesn't exceed IRS-approved maximums, and the employee provides simplified substantiation (time, place, and business purpose): the reimbursement is treated as made under an accountable plan (e.g. it isn't subject to income or payroll-tax withholding), it isn't reported on the employee's Form W-2, and receipts for expenses aren't required. In general, the IRS-approved per-diem maximum is the General Services Administration (GSA) per-diem rate paid by the federal government to its workers on travel...