2011 Virginia Legislators' Tax Guide
This guide is intended for use in preparing your 2010 income tax return. Legislators are employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia and are entitled to deduct, on their federal and Virginia income tax returns, certain business expenses that are ordinary and necessary in pursuit of the performance of their duties.
A question-and-answer format is used to provide specific answers to some frequently asked questions concerning income tax laws as they relate to your unique position as a member of the General Assembly. You also may find answers to specific questions not addressed here in Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses. The IRS website is www.irs.gov.
Throughout this guide, there is an important emphasis placed on recordkeeping. The burden of proving the appropriateness and extent of deductibility is on the taxpayer.
Therefore, it is imperative that the taxpayer keep sufficiently detailed records. Failure to adequately support a deduction will result in its disallowance.
This guide is not intended to cover all tax matters related to an individual's tax return. Relevant changes enacted by tax legislation during recent years have been considered. Items of personal nature, such as medical expenses, interest and charitable contributions, or tax matters unrelated to your position as an elected official are not covered.
The size of this guide limits the depth of the coverage of the topics addressed. In cases where the complexity of the subject matter is beyond the scope of this guide, you are encouraged to contact your CPA for additional assistance.