Hi! I agree with Linda. I used my ICOM card at several museums in NY last year, saving quite a lot of $. Plus, the mailings are very interesting, offering international perspectives. Therese Quinn On Thu, Jun 7, 2018 at 2:03 PM, Linda Norris <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thanks for your input Christian, but as an American the ICOM fee can > pay itself back in just very few visits (even though we are not "a very > poor country". I've found that it might not cover every museum, but for > instance, the Rijksmuseum 17.50 euro, Mauritshuis 15.50 euro, the Louvre, 9 > euro, several Gaudi buildings in Barcelona, 22 euro for just one, have all > been covered in the last year for me. And that number of museums is, on a > trip, just a few days and the ICOM membership is $135. So if you're > traveling for a week, you may get very close to covering the cost of > membership. Caitlin, I had assumed you were American, so this is from my > American perspective. > > On Thu, Jun 7, 2018 at 8:43 AM, C. Müller-Straten <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > >> Linda, >> >> it depends on the national ICOM fees! Most private museums and company >> museums do not accept ICOM cards, lots of church museums don`t, museums of >> incorporated societies or even foundations don`t. For me as an German ICOM >> member visiting many museums and paying the high German ICOM fee (!), there >> is no financial advantage at all. There are other reasons to become an ICOM >> member, but financial advantage does not belong to them. Only as a member >> from a poorer country with much lower ICOM fees this system is advantageous. >> >> Getting back to the original thread: Best thing would be to ask your tax >> accountant of trust, also for the tickets/car costs. Most important anyway: >> Collect all bills, recepts, records etc. >> >> Christian >> >> Am 06.06.2018 um 23:48 schrieb Linda Norris: >> >> My best advice (non-tax related) on visiting museums internationally: become >> an ICOM member. <http://www.icomus.org/join-us> Virtually everywhere in >> the world provides free admission to ICOM members (sometimes huge savings) >> and often you also get to skip the line. Totally worth it, while >> supporting the work of museums everywhere! >> >> Have a great time! >> >> On Wed, Jun 6, 2018 at 4:14 PM, Marc A Williams <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >> >>> Cait, >>> >>> This is a bit more complicated than it may seem. This is >>> due significantly to the new tax changes that took effect on 1/1/18. As a >>> bit of background, I have run my museum conservation business for 30 years >>> and have prepared all my tax returns. My partner is an executive director >>> of a statewide historic site organization. I have worked with her on her >>> tax returns, although I did not prepare them. So my disclaimer is that I >>> have experience but I am not a licensed tax preparation professional. >>> >>> 1) In the previous law, employees were allowed to deduct "unreimbursed >>> employee expenses" or some such term from their itemized deductions. But >>> even under the old system, if you took the standard deduction, you could >>> not claim anything, only if you itemized. With the new tax law (2018), the >>> unreimbursed employee expenses have been removed as a deduction. Gone even >>> if you itemize. That is my understanding. >>> >>> 2) If you also have a consulting business beyond your employment with a >>> museum (or if you are an independent contractor with them), you should be >>> able to deduct expenses (which your museum visits would qualify for) >>> against income. If you do not yet have a consulting business, you can >>> still start one before the end of the year and have this option. However, >>> I would strongly suggest that you have some income from the business, so >>> you actually have to go out and do billable consulting. >>> >>> 3) If you only work for a museum, your best alternative under the new >>> tax law is for your employer to reimburse you for your expenses. That >>> should have no tax consequences on you. This includes mileage that you >>> drive for your employer due to them sending you wherever they want you to >>> go, as well as all other expenses related to your work, including museum >>> visits. This does not include commuting mileage to your primary place of >>> work, unless you are an independent contractor, in which case you can >>> deduct that as a business expense. >>> >>> 4) In spite of what an IRS agent says, the formula has worked in the >>> following way. If you are on a trip that is partially personal and >>> partially business, you estimate the percent of time spent on personal and >>> the percent spent on business, which should equal 100%. Then you apportion >>> costs to each using these percentages. This includes air >>> fare/transportation, lodging, food, local expenses, plus 100% of >>> museum-specific expenses. Again, under the 2018 new tax rules, you can not >>> take this as an itemized deduction but can take it as a business expense if >>> you have one (or are an independent contractor) or be reimbursed by your >>> employer. Keep your receipts/records. >>> >>> 5) As with all tax returns, what you write is what goes to the IRS. >>> Unless you are audited, your word is accepted. So give yourself the best >>> advantage without violating the law. Again, 2018 is very different than >>> 2017, so your options may be significantly altered. Best wishes. >>> >>> Marc >>> >>> >>> *From:* Caitlin McQuade <[log in to unmask]> >>> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 06, 2018 2:24 PM >>> *To:* [log in to unmask] >>> *Subject:* [MUSEUM-L] Tax deductions for museum professionals? >>> >>> Has anyone explored the tax rules for museum workers deducting the costs >>> to visit museums? >>> >>> I'm about to embark on international travel and expect to visit quite a >>> few museums and historic sites. I'm not asking about deducting travel >>> costs: the IRS is strict about business v. pleasure when traveling abroad, >>> and this is otherwise a pleasure trip. But there's no question that >>> visiting museums contributes to my abilities as a museum exhibit developer, >>> and I also take photographs to use in teaching. >>> >>> (It's possible the answers I seek are somewhere on the interwebs, but >>> the keywords "museum," "taxes," and "deduction" return a haystack of >>> information about soliciting donations.) >>> >>> Thank you! >>> >>> Cait >>> >>> ========================================================= >>> Important Subscriber Information: >>> >>> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/mu >>> seum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv >>> commands by sending a one line e-mail message to >>> [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >>> "help" (without the quotes). >>> >>> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message >>> to [log in to unmask] . 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Boden >> Glaserstraße 17, D-60599 Frankfurt am Main >> <https://maps.google.com/?q=Glaserstra%C3%9Fe+17,+D-60599+Frankfurt+am+Main&entry=gmail&source=g> >> T.: 0049 – (0)69 – 98959802, mobil: 0175 – 3328668 >> [log in to unmask] >> Office hours: 9 am - 6 pm >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: >> http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 >> > > > > -- > [log in to unmask] > lindabnorris.com > 607-829-3501 Treadwell, NY 13846 > On Twitter and Instagram: @lindabnorris > > Want to up your creativity? Check out Creativity in Museum Practice > <http://www.lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=474> > Like museums? Check out the Uncataloged Museum > <http://uncatalogedmuseum.blogspot.com> > > Subscribe to Take 5, <http://eepurl.com/qQO8j>monthly e-news from 5 > talented colleagues and check out our website. <http://take5culture.org> > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: > http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 > -- The task of teachers, those obscure soldiers of civilization, is to give to the people the intellectual means to revolt. [Louise Michel / 1830-1905 / Mémoires / 1886] UIC United Faculty Local 6456: *http://uicunitedfaculty.org/ <http://uicunitedfaculty.org/>* UIC United Faculty on Facebook (Like us!): http://tinyurl.com/c26hyej Twitter: @UICUF Calm Inbox: email checked once (or so) in the AM and once (or so) in the PM. ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . 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