Tips for a Successful Moving Expense Reimbursement

• Keep all receipts
• The cost of traveling from your former home to your new one should be by the shortest, most direct route available by conventional transportation. If during your trip to your new home, you stop over to make side trips for sightseeing, the additional expenses for your stopover or side trips aren’t deductible as moving expenses.
   

Meal Per Diem Guidelines

• Summarize your expenses in a cover email with dates of move and, if including meals, the dates and location of each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). We use the reimbursement rates for Meals & Incidentals (i.e., per diem) that are established by the General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Defense, or US State Department, depending on the locations involved in the relocation. The rate used for each day is based on the final destination that night. You can look up the current rates by location here. Reimbursement on the first and last day of the trip is restricted to 75% of the daily rate for that location. Receipts are not required to be reimbursed for per diem; however, if receipts are used, alcohol must be purchased separately and is not allowed as a reimbursable expense.
  • Maximum reimbursement: You cannot claim more than the daily per diem rate (e.g., $69/day), even if your actual meal costs are higher.
    Example: If your meals cost $75 in one day, you will still only be reimbursed $69.
  • Claiming less: You may claim less than the per diem if you choose.
  • Receipts: Meal receipts are not required for reimbursement.
• Please provide the location (city, state, country) from which you are relocating.

Airfare Information

• IMPORTANT: If your relocation involves flights and airfare, you will need to use a US flag carrier for all segments of your relocation to Boulder, CO. If a US flag carrier is not available for any segments of your planned trip, please reach out to cirestravel@colorado.edu prior to booking your ticket. This is especially important if a federally sponsored project funds you.
• Also, if you purchase a round-trip flight, get a “one-way” quote to prove that the round-trip airfare is cheaper than the one-way flight.
• CU policy does not allow the use of personal airfare credits to pay for travel expenses
• CIRES does not allow the cost of seat assignments or preferred seating. We can only reimburse the price of the actual flight.

International Relocation

• Visa related expenses to obtain your visa at the embassy, such as the SEVIS fee (for J1 visas), transportation, accommodations and other direct expenses are not eligible for reimbursement. The costs of obtaining a visa is at one’s own personal expense.
• If you are relocating from a country outside the U.S. and using foreign currency for your move, please provide a proof of currency conversion for each item using the historical rate for the date on which the item was purchased. Oanda provides this service for free: https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/
• The reimbursement is taxable unless you are an International employee whose home country has a tax treaty with the U.S. In order to establish this relationship, you must meet with an International Taxation specialist prior to submitting your request for reimbursement. 
  • Here is a link to the CU International Taxation Office: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/international-tax/international-employees Please watch the videos on this website and then complete your Sprintax Calculus profile: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/international-tax/international-employees/sprintax-calculus. 
  • New employees will receive an email notification from CUIntlTax-noreplay@sprintax.com asking them to complete their Sprintax profile within 14 days of their start date.
• If you are relocating internationally, the cost of customs duties or import tax for moving personal household goods during customs clearance is allowed. We will need an itemized receipt of these charges and proof of payment to reimburse.

Other Relocation Reimbursement Information

• If you want to be reimbursed for gas, you must have itemized receipts. A credit card statement is not allowable for reimbursement.
• Allow a minimum of 2 weeks from submitting expenses for approvals and processing through payroll—your signature will be requested on the reimbursement forms through DocuSign, and be paid at the soonest, available payday. Payment will be made through your direct deposit.
• Relocation reimbursement is only for immediate family members (spouse/same-sex domestic partner, common-law spouse, fiancé and/or dependents).
• All expenses eligible for reimbursement must be incurred within 12 months of your employment date. As part of the total costs, the University will reimburse the following, if applicable: 
  • Must have itemized receipts for lodging (per diem for lodging is not allowed)
  • Reasonable costs of two trips for you and your family to search for housing; 
  • Expenses for travel at the time of the relocation; 
  • Moving of your household goods and personal effects, including your vehicle
  • Thirty (30) days of temporary lodging expenses for you and your family in connection with your relocation. (Must have itemized receipts.)
    • Those staying with friends are allowed up to $25 a day (no receipts required)

Unallowable Expenses 

• Fees and other costs associated with acquiring a new home.
• A loss on the sale of a former home.
• Lodging without receipts (unless you are staying with friends, this is allowed without receipts for $25 a day)
• Continuing mortgage principal and interest payments on a home being sold.
• Income taxes paid by an employee related to reimbursed relocation costs.
• Permanently modifying a car to install a hitch (or other similar permanent modifications)
• Car carrier/car topper
•  Any part of general repairs, general maintenance, insurance, or depreciation of personal vehicle
• Purchasing a bike once someone arrives in Boulder for commuting purposes 
• Purchase of new furniture for the new apartment or house
• Purchase of clothing 
• Groceries purchased once relocated 
  • (Grocery receipts are only allowed when it is part of traveling to Boulder (i.e. sandwiches and drinks while on the road))
• The first month's rent
• The following link may be helpful: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/movingrelocation.

Expenses are subject to taxation in accordance with IRS rules.

Please note: If you exercise your right to willfully terminate your employment with the University of Colorado, within 12 months of your official start date, you hereby agree to reimburse CIRES for your relocation expenses.