Is airfare and other expenses tax deductible for destination point owners?

[Steve Fatula]

It has accelerated over the last two years, as our political discourse has deteriorated into lies, deceit and misrepresentation of facts as the new norm, so has the culture of the sales environment in which I had participated.

I think you mean as the media discourse has deteriorated into lies, deceit, and misrepresentation.

 

[SeaDoc]

For the sake of political neutrality, I will go with that...

 

[Dean]

Ever been told that an item on the menu at a restrauant is "NOT VERY GOOD tonight"?
Ever had a wait staff person NOT try to UPSELL you?
Or the salesperson helping you pick a tie or blouse or jacket NOT agree with your positive comment or is not MORE encouraging when the price tag is higher on a similar item?

Sorry ... I prefer to not deal with "commissioned only" sales personal. While a sales person may NOT be a 'bald face' liar, they MUST produce the numbers (sell) to keep their job or get a better shift. Yes, sales groups need bodies working the floor during the 'slow selling' times, too.

And Wyndham sales staff is the MOST ANNOYING ... I refuse to attend. And if hassled to make an appointment ... it will be for the time I will not be at the resort. In other words, I ditch the appointment .. I stand them up .. I layout by the pool .. I go out to lunch .. I play games on my computer. AND I UNPLUG the PHONE.

And I never give the ANYONE at the resort my Cell Phone number! Esp if they promise to call you when your room is ready!

I think most commission only sales people are decent people and in a sense, we all work on commission one way or another. I don't believe commission only makes good people bad but it does make bad people worse. And the other side can be as bad or worse, salaried lifers who are just marking time living for Friday. And it likely is true that timeshare sales draws a certain type of person that might not be of the highest ethics in many cases. The extended warranty offers are the most annoying and ubiquitous that I see.

IMO making an appointment and purposefully no showing is also lying. Just say no and move on. Some unplug the phone from the start.

 

[StevenTing]

As a business owner you could make it deductible. As an Individual, no.

As a business owner you could reward you employee with an all expense paid trip including airfare. However, you would want to make sure this benefit is spelled out in the benefits guide so it’s documented.


(This is not tax advice.)

 

[WBP]

My sales rep said that airfare is tax deductible if we stay in a timeshare. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Right when I think I've heard it all, comes a new winner.

This one is good for

My sales rep said that airfare is tax deductible if we stay in a timeshare. Any thoughts?

Thanks

I read this and cringed. I remembered when Marriott worked hard to raise the bar on the unscrupulous timeshare industry. I'm not sure that I recognize what exists today, from a timeshare sales and marketing perspective.

When I read, what I did, above, I thought to myself, how could a company with a Business Integrity Policy, allow this to happen, or, how could the Securities and Exchange Commission allow an agent of a publicly traded company, to make income potential or tax savings representations, without the requisite licenses or certifications, e.g. a Securities and Exchange License, or the requisite credentialing for a Certified Public Accountant, or tax professional.

Then, I remembered that I heard something like this once before, from a Starwood timeshare salesman. He told me that since our timeshare was a deeded real estate interest, under the then current USA Tax Laws, that we could make an annual trip to inspect our real estate, and deduct our travel and lodging expenses. I laughed my way away from my conversation with the guy.

 

[sandcfort]

Right when I think I've heard it all, comes a new winner.

This one is good for


I read this and cringed. I remembered when Marriott worked hard to raise the bar on the unscrupulous timeshare industry. I'm not sure that I recognize what exists today, from a timeshare sales and marketing perspective.

When I read, what I did, above, I thought to myself, how could a company with a Business Integrity Policy, allow this to happen, or, how could the Securities and Exchange Commission allow an agent of a publicly traded company, to make income potential or tax savings representations, without the requisite licenses or certifications, e.g. a Securities and Exchange License, or the requisite credentialing for a Certified Public Accountant, or tax professional.

Then, I remembered that I heard something like this once before, from a Starwood timeshare salesman. He told me that since our timeshare was a deeded real estate interest, under the then current USA Tax Laws, that we could make an annual trip to inspect our real estate, and deduct our travel and lodging expenses. I laughed my way away from my conversation with the guy.

Thanks for the quick and passionate responses. That was the same concept from the sales person was that we were "checking" on our properties similar to tax deductions for a rental property that is out of state.
SP

 

[Dean]

As a business owner you could make it deductible. As an Individual, no.

As a business owner you could reward you employee with an all expense paid trip including airfare. However, you would want to make sure this benefit is spelled out in the benefits guide so it’s documented.


(This is not tax advice.)

From a business standpoint if you only or mostly use it for the business, absolutely. But not if you have it in business name mainly for personal use. Actually I think it's possible to meet the criteria to do this as an individual but it'd be very specific and unusual circumstances where it would be possible. Basically where you have a significant volume at a given resort and even then, I'm not sure it'd be possible with a points system that didn't have a home resort.