As the English language continues to evolve, dictionaries add brand new words. Some of these words involve a pair of older terms combined in a whole new way. Mix camping with glamorous amenities, and you get glamping. Combine a honeymoon with volunteering, and you get honeyteering. Mix business with pleasure, and welcome to the world of bleisure.
Known to lexicographers as a portmanteau, new words such as staycation, gaycation, ecotourism, and binge-watch reflect recent advances in technology, pop culture, and lifestyle explains Merriam-Webster. The marvelous mashup word, bleisure, denotes all sorts of travel possibilities.
Business first, or pleasure?
Good question. First, what is your primary reason for traveling? If you have a block of business appointments and want to bring the family along to your destination, that’s one way to do it. Alternately, you might have a family vacay in mind, but choose to conduct a significant amount of business on the road. Either way, you might be able to deduct part of the cost of transportation and other travel-related expenses, if you plan properly.
In order to qualify for tax deductions, you may be required to prove that you spent no less than 50 percent of your domestic travel days on business. If taking a bleisure trip overseas, you’ll need to show that you invested 75 percent of your away days conducting business. No, you don’t have to work a full day in order for that day to qualify. Work as few as four hours per claimed day, and you should be alright, explain legal advisers at Nolo.
Maximize your fun time
Mix business with pleasure by spreading your workload over the course of several days. If you need to take three business meetings, schedule them for three different days. Drive in lieu of flying whenever possible. Leave a few days sooner, and stay a while longer. Check into the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites or other comfortable hotel and take advantage of superior amenities such as on-site conference rooms, a workout facility, local lounges, and first-class concierge service.
Bleisure travel tips to remember
Do enough business to earn tax deductions, and don’t think that dashing off a couple e-mails is an adequate business day. As a rule of thumb, four hours of work counts as a business day. Never use your business accounts to pay for family expenses.
Talk to your accountant before claiming travel-related tax deductions, and always keep impeccable records. Save receipts and clip them to notes that explain what was accomplished and where. Excellent documentation can spare you a world of headaches at tax time, explains Live Rich Live Well magazine.
Time things right, and your well planned bleisure trip can wind up costing far less than a trip made strictly for business or pleasure. Off-season prices can make it quite affordable to combine a work assignment with family fun. Plan ahead, keep copious records, and enjoy a bit of business bon voyage.
