Meals with clients - tax deductible?

lola_run

Sometimes I have meals/drinks with clients, and would like to know if I can write these off as business expenses.

Would I ever have to prove to the Revenue that these meals were with clients and not with friends, and how would I do this?

Kinetic^

Not allowable as a tax deductible expense. Only entertainment with employees is allowed.

lola_run

Kenny 5 wrote:

Not allowable as a tax deductible expense. Only entertainment with employees is allowed.

Such as cinema and theatre outings?

Kinetic^

Anything you spend on entertaining clients is not allowable, regardless of what it is.

If you say it's for employees and you're working on your own then you'll be in trouble if you ever get audited.

lola_run

Kenny 5 wrote:

Anything you spend on entertaining clients is not allowable, regardless of what it is.

If you say it's for employees and you're working on your own then you'll be in trouble if you ever get audited.

Well, if I'm self-employed I don't actually have employees. Perhaps I should start thinking about setting up a Ltd. May be a more profitable option, with more tax advantages.

information

Kenny 5 wrote:

Not allowable as a tax deductible expense. Only entertainment with employees is allowed.

They are allowable as expenses, so you can spend the companies money rather than your own money.
but not tax deductible as already stated

lola_run

information wrote:

They are allowable as expenses, so you can spend the companies money rather than your own money.
but not tax deductible as already stated

I've just read this on the Revenu website:

What expenses can’t I claim for?
The general rule is that you cannot claim for any private expenses i.e.
• Any expense, not wholly and exclusively paid for the purposes of the trade or profession
• Any private or domestic expenditure e.g. your own wages, food, clothing (except protective clothing), income tax etc.
• Business entertainment expenditure i.e. the provision of accommodation, food, drink or any other form of hospitality.

Kinetic^

information wrote:

They are allowable as expenses, so you can spend the companies money rather than your own money.
but not tax deductible as already stated

Information, this is why I recommended the OP to get an accountant, the treatment of items for financial and tax purposes are different. I'm not calling you stupid either OP, I just feel that it can get very confusing for someone who doesn't work in the industry.

ircoha

Before responding any further to this post it is perhaps instructive to look at other posts that the OP has started