Career · official-source review · reviewed 2026-10-10
A mileage rate of 55 cents sounds fair until you compare it with the standard rate.
Turn trip miles and two rates into the standard amount, the paid amount, and the shortfall.
Employees, contractors, and volunteers who drive for work and are paid a per-mile rate.
Use the source document or official route that applies to your situation. This guide does not contact another person or verify external information.
Total the business miles from your log. Separate commuting miles, which the standard rate does not cover.
Write the standard mileage rate for the year of the trip, in cents per mile.
Write the rate your employer or client actually pays, in cents per mile.
Multiply the miles by each rate and divide by 100. You now have two dollar amounts.
Subtract the paid amount from the standard amount. That is the shortfall for the trip.
You drive 1,200 business miles. The standard rate pays $840.00, a 55-cent rate pays $660.00, and the shortfall is $180.00.
Use your own source and details. The example is not a record about a real person or organization.
U.S. Internal Revenue Service · reviewed 2026-10-10
What this source supports: The IRS publishes an optional standard mileage rate for business miles each year.
Source limit: This is an estimate only; tax rules for business driving are specific. Keep a contemporaneous mileage log.
These sources support the statements above. They do not show that every person needs this guide. They do not show a specific result.
This guide multiplies miles by rates. It does not set a legal rate or judge any employer's policy.
This is an estimate only; tax rules for business driving are specific. Keep a contemporaneous mileage log.
Use current instructions from the responsible organization. This guide is a planning aid, not an official decision or a substitute for qualified advice.
Turn trip miles and two rates into the standard amount, the paid amount, and the shortfall.
This App multiplies the numbers you enter. It does not set a legal rate, judge a policy, or prepare a tax claim.
You enter every number yourself. The sources support the method and the limits. They do not produce a result for your specific case. Keep the original documents next to the sheet you build.
The App computes the worked example with your own numbers, in your browser.
APP 1
Turn trip miles and two rates into the standard amount, the paid amount, and the shortfall.
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Open Mileage Reimbursement Shortfall CheckThe App runs in this browser. It does not send or save entries. Copy, download, or print only when you choose.
This guide uses short, direct instructions as an ASD-STE100-style writing target. It is not a formal certification.
Companion App: Mileage Reimbursement Shortfall Check. It runs in this browser and does not upload your entries.
This guide is edited for clarity and checked against the sources it links. It is not a substitute for official instructions or qualified advice. A linked source does not show that every person needs this guide.