Hi
I filed my tax return as NR for 2007. After I arrived US on Oct 2007, I stayed in NY for three weeks and then I moved to CT and working there till now,May08. My employer paid one week hotel bill and car expenses for two weeks when I moved to CT from NY. I came to know that I can adjust this amount as Moving expenses as my employer added the amount in my gross income. But, my employer reimbursed all the amount(two week rental+one week hotel bill). My question is:

1. Can I file an amendment and claim the amount (two week rental+one week hotel bill)as moving expenses?

2. I lost hotel receipt of around $600 but the transaction is shown in my credit card bill. Do I need receipt to claim the amount?

Could you please let me know if your advice.

Thanks

What visa do you have? Were you working in NY and then your employer moved you to CT? Or you stayed in NY before joining in CT?

Moving expenses means moving from original place of work to the new place of work, and meeting certain conditions. May be your can claim expenses to move from your home country to the U.S.
Read: Your U.S. Tax Return: Moving Expenses (http://taxipay.blogspot.com/2008/02/moving-expenses.html)

If you moved during your job, then it is employee business expenses, which are itemized deduction subject to 2% AGI (that is first 2% of your AGI are not allowed).

Thanks for your reply.

I am in H1B. My employer's office is in NY and I stayed in NY before joining work site in CT. As per your suggestion, I can claim neither moving expenses nor employee business expenses except expense claim from India to US.

If you have more suggestion please let me know.

Thanks

1. You can claim moving expenses to move from India to the U.S. on Form 3903.

2. You can also claim employee business expenses but only the amount that is over 2% of your AGI. That is if you earned 20K in 2007 and had employee business expenses of $1000, then $600 are allowed. (See schedule A attached to Form 1040NR).