What relocation expenses reimburse?
Henry Morales
Published Mar 05, 2026
Your employer may cover the cost of a trip to find a new home. They will also cover the cost of moving your goods and moving yourself and your family to the new location. This may include either airfare for your family or mileage for you to drive, hotel stays along the way, and maybe a per diem for food.
What qualifies as relocation expense?
You can deduct certain expenses associated with moving your household goods and personal effects. Examples of these expenses include the cost of packing, crating, hauling a trailer, in-transit storage, and insurance.
Do you get reimbursed for moving expenses with a relocation package?
But not all moving packages are alike. In some cases, the company will pay for the full cost of moving. In others, you may be given a flat dollar amount to cover your expenses. If you’re coming on board as a new employee and a relocation package isn’t offered, you may be able to negotiate reimbursement of expenses as part of a counteroffer .
Can a company pay for moving expenses for an employee?
According to the Society for Human Resources Management, only 34% of employers offered a lump-sum payment toward moving expenses to employees in 2019. And only 18% reimbursed the cost of shipping an employee’s household goods. Before 2018, an employer could pay for or reimburse an employee’s qualified moving expenses.
Do you have to pay for relocation if you are new employee?
In some cases, the company will pay for the full cost of moving. In others, you may be given a flat dollar amount to cover your expenses. If you’re coming on board as a new employee and a relocation package isn’t offered, you may be able to negotiate reimbursement of expenses as part of a counteroffer.
Are there any tax deductions for moving for a new job?
Tax Deductible Job Relocation Moving Expenses. Of that number, roughly 20% (nearly 6 million people) moved for employment reasons. The U.S. is a mobile society, and a move related to new employment is not uncommon. In fact, the tax code gives a tax benefit for moving expenses if certain conditions are met.