Maximum Standard Automobile Cost (2015)

For purposes of computing the allowance under a FAVR plan, the standard automobile cost may not exceed $28,200 for automobiles (excluding trucks and vans) or $30,800 for trucks and vans.

Source

Section 6.02(6) of Rev.Proc. 2010-51.

.02 Computing a FAVR allowance.

(1) FAVR allowance. A FAVR allowance includes periodic fixed payments and periodic variable payments. A payor may maintain more than one FAVR allowance. A FAVR allowance that uses the same payor, standard automobile (or an automobile of the same make and model that is comparably equipped), retention period, and business use percentage is considered one FAVR allowance, even though other features of the allowance may vary. A FAVR allowance also includes any optional high mileage payments. However, optional high mileage payments are included in an employee’s gross income, are reported as wages or other compensation on the employee’s Form W-2, and are subject to withholding and payment of employment taxes when paid. See section 7.05 of this revenue procedure. An optional high mileage payment covers the additional depreciation for a standard automobile attributable to business miles an employee drives and substantiates for a calendar year in excess of the annual business mileage for that year. If a FAVR allowance covers an employee for less than the entire calendar year, the annual business mileage may be prorated on a monthly basis for purposes of the preceding sentence.

(2) Periodic fixed payment. A periodic fixed payment covers the projected fixed costs (including depreciation or lease payments, insurance, registration and license fees, and personal property taxes) of driving the standard automobile in performing services as an employee of the employer in a base locality, and must be paid at least quarterly. A payor may compute a periodic fixed payment by (a) dividing the total projected fixed costs of the standard automobile for all years of the retention period, determined at the beginning of the retention period, by the number of periodic fixed payments in the retention period, and (b) multiplying the resulting amount by the business use percentage.

(3) Periodic variable payment. A periodic variable payment covers the projected variable costs (including gasoline and all taxes thereon, oil, tires, and routine maintenance and repairs) of driving a standard automobile in performing services as an employee in a base locality, and must be paid at least quarterly. A payor may compute a periodic variable payment rate for a computation period by dividing the total projected variable costs for the standard automobile for the computation period, determined at the beginning of the computation period, by the computation period mileage. A computation period may be any period of a year or less. Computation period mileage is the total mileage (business and personal) a payor reasonably projects a standard automobile will be driven during a computation period and equals the retention mileage divided by the number of computation periods in the retention period. For each business mile an employee substantiates for the computation period, a payor must make a periodic variable payment at a rate that does not exceed the rate for that computation period.

(4) Base locality. A base locality is the particular geographic locality or region of the United States where an employee generally pays or incurs the costs of driving an automobile in performing services as an employee. Thus, for purposes of determining the amount of fixed costs, the base locality is generally the geographic locality or region where the employee resides. For purposes of determining the amount of variable costs, the base locality is generally the geographic locality or region where the employee drives the automobile in performing services as an employee.

(5) Standard automobile. A standard automobile is the automobile a payor selects on which a specific FAVR allowance is based.

(6) Standard automobile cost. The standard automobile cost for a calendar year may not exceed 95 percent of the sum of (a) the retail dealer invoice cost of the standard automobile in the base locality, and (b) state and local sales or use taxes on the purchase of the automobile. The maximum standard automobile cost for a given taxable year is published in an annual notice.

(7) Annual mileage. Annual mileage is the total mileage (business and personal) a payor reasonably projects an employee will drive a standard automobile during a calendar year. Annual mileage equals the annual business mileage divided by the business use percentage.

(8) Annual business mileage. Annual business mileage is the mileage a payor reasonably projects an employee will drive a standard automobile in performing services as an employee during the calendar year, but may not be less than 6,250 miles for a calendar year. Annual business mileage equals the annual mileage multiplied by the business use percentage.

(9) Business use percentage. A payor determines the business use percentage by dividing the annual business mileage by the annual mileage. The business use percentage may not exceed 75 percent. In lieu of demonstrating the reasonableness of the business use percentage based on records of total mileage and business mileage driven by employees annually, a payor may use a business use percentage that is less than or equal to the following percentages for a FAVR allowance that is paid for the following annual business mileage:

(10) Retention period. A retention period is the period in calendar years a payor selects during which the payor expects an employee to drive a standard automobile in performing services as an employee before the automobile is replaced. The period may not be less than two calendar years.

(11) Retention mileage. Retention mileage is the annual mileage multiplied by the number of calendar years in the retention period.

(12) Residual value. The residual value of a standard automobile is the projected amount for which it could be sold at the end of the retention period after being driven the retention mileage. The Service will accept the following safe harbor residual values for a standard automobile computed as a percentage of the standard automobile cost: