The U.S. General Services Administration increased the standard per diem rate for federal travelers by $3 to $181 for fiscal year 2027. The lodging allowance rose to $113, while meals and incidentals remained at $68. Non-standard areas decreased to 295.
SAP Concur published an article explaining what per diem is and how it works, covering three common expense categories: lodging, meals, and incidentals. The article describes fixed allowances and reimbursable allowances, as well as a mixed model, and notes that many organizations base rates on federal per diem rates published by the GSA or IRS, with the U.S. Department of State providing benchmarks for international travel. It also discusses pre-approvals, advances, international compliance configurations, and the benefits and limitations of per diem.
A SAP Concur blog post answers common questions about expense reimbursements, including: what is an expense reimbursement, what expenses are reimbursable, whether receipts are needed, how to pay reimbursements, reimbursement timelines, whether reimbursements count as income and are taxable, and alternatives. It emphasizes that reimbursement amounts should exactly match expenses, receipts are non-negotiable for IRS audits, and reimbursements are not considered income for employees. Alternatives include advances, per diems, corporate cards, and purchasing cards.