Which of the following is an exception for substantiating business expenses?

The selection of using the standard meal rate for travel meals as an exception for substantiating business expenses is accurate. When the standard meal rate is applied, it allows for a simplified method of calculating meal expenses incurred during business travel. This approach circumvents the need for detailed receipts and documentation that would typically be required for substantiating individual meal expenses.

Under this method, the IRS allows taxpayers to deduct a set expense amount for meal costs based on pre-established rates, rather than requiring itemization of every meal expense. This simplifies record-keeping and helps facilitate compliance for both the employee and the employer, making it a practical solution for substantiation in the case of travel meals.

In contrast, the other options involve either normal practices for expense tracking or conditions that don’t provide the same simplicity in substantiation as the standard meal rate. For example, while expenses being ordinary and necessary is a standard requirement for deducting business expenses, it does not serve as an exception but merely reiterates the general rule. An advance from an employer necessitates accountability in proving expenses were used for their intended purpose, while reimbursements from a nonaccountable plan don’t provide the same leniencies as using the standard meal rate. Hence, the use of the