Can I deduct my hotel if I stay an extra weekend?

You can deduct the hotel costs for the business days only. You cannot deduct the hotel for personal weekend days, and you cannot deduct any meal or incidental costs incurred during those personal days.

Do I need a paper receipt for everything?

In the US, the IRS does not require receipts for expenses under $75, but keeping them is best practice. In many Asian countries, tax authorities may be more stringent; digital scans of all receipts are the safest approach.

Maximizing Tax Deductions for Business Travel in Asia

To maximize deductions, separate every expense into business-related categories immediately and keep digital, itemized receipts for every transaction over $75. Ensure your travel serves a primary business purpose—documented by an agenda or meeting records—to qualify the entire trip as deductible.

Establish the Primary Business Purpose. Before you leave, create a written itinerary. The IRS requires that the primary purpose of the trip be business. If you add personal days, keep them distinct. You can deduct airfare to the destination if the trip is primarily for business, but personal excursion costs are non-deductible.
Categorize Expenses by Currency and Date. Use a tool like Expensify or a dedicated spreadsheet to log expenses in both the local currency and USD. Use the OANDA historical exchange rate for the specific date of the transaction to ensure accuracy.
Track the 'Per Diem' vs. Actual Expense Method. Decide whether to use the GSA foreign per diem rates for lodging and meals or to track actual receipts. For many Asian cities, actual expenses (with receipts) often yield a higher deduction than standard per diem rates due to variable hotel pricing.
Document Every Business Interaction. For every meal or entertainment expense, note the name of the business contact, their title, the company they represent, and the specific business purpose discussed. Keep this in a log or a photo note attached to the receipt.

Can I deduct my hotel if I stay an extra weekend?: You can deduct the hotel costs for the business days only. You cannot deduct the hotel for personal weekend days, and you cannot deduct any meal or incidental costs incurred during those personal days.
Do I need a paper receipt for everything?: In the US, the IRS does not require receipts for expenses under $75, but keeping them is best practice. In many Asian countries, tax authorities may be more stringent; digital scans of all receipts are the safest approach.