What should a property management company look for in T&E software?
In property management, staff spend owners' money, so trust account rules and each management agreement set the policy. Five things matter.
| What you need | Why | In ExpenseOS |
|---|---|---|
| Owners' money kept apart | Texas treats paying operating expenses from a trust account, or any withdrawal other than a proper disbursement of trust money, as prima facie evidence of commingling (22 TAC 535.146). | Cards and reimbursements settle in one weekly statement, by one debit from the operating account your admin sets. |
| No hidden profit on owners' spending | Texas disciplines a license holder who takes an undisclosed commission, rebate or direct profit on an expenditure made for a principal (Tex. Occ. Code §1101.652), and New York requires the client's full knowledge and consent (19 NYCRR 175.3). | Card cashback is its own line on each weekly statement, to pass through or disclose. The pack's repair rule: owners pay the invoice amount, and a markup only at the agreement's rate, on its own line. |
| Every repair traced to a property | A Texas broker keeps a record of every deposit to and withdrawal from a trust account, and accounts to each owner at least monthly when there's activity (22 TAC 535.146). | Every expense keeps its itemized receipt, with a GL code, the property as its cost center and the rule it was checked against. |
| Mileage between properties | Driving from home to your regular place of work is commuting no matter how far it is, while getting from one workplace to another is deductible (IRS Publication 463). The business rate is 76¢ a mile since 1 July 2026 (IRS Announcement 2026-11). | Mileage is worked out from the addresses at your rate, and paid back the minute it clears. |
| The gear the job requires | Protective equipment used to comply with OSHA's standards is provided by the employer at no cost to employees (29 CFR 1910.132(h)). | The pack covers required safety gear with no limit, and every request is answered against it with the rule named. |
The rules that apply to property management
What each rule requires, and what it means for a travel and expense policy.
| Rule | What it requires | What it means for your policy |
|---|---|---|
| IRS business mileage rate, 2026 | 72.5¢ a mile from 1 January to 30 June 2026, and 76¢ a mile from 1 July 2026 (Announcement 2026-11), raised midyear for fuel costs. | Use the rate in force on the day of each drive. |
| Commuting and business miles, IRS Publication 463 | You can't deduct commuting expenses no matter how far your home is from your regular place of work. If you regularly work at two or more places in one day, you can deduct the cost of getting from one workplace to another. | Pay miles between properties, not the drive in. |
| Trust accounts, 22 TAC 535.146 (Texas) | Placing trust money in a broker's operating account, or paying operating expenses or making withdrawals from a trust account for any purpose other than proper disbursement of trust money, is prima facie evidence of commingling. The broker keeps a documentary record of each deposit or withdrawal. | Pay cards and reimbursements from the firm's own account, and bill each owner back from that owner's money. |
| Undisclosed profit, Tex. Occ. Code §1101.652 | A license holder may be disciplined for accepting, receiving or charging an undisclosed commission, rebate or direct profit on an expenditure made for a principal. | A markup or a card reward on an owner's spending is disclosed in the agreement, or it goes to the owner. |
| Expenditures for a client, 19 NYCRR 175.3 (New York) | A real estate broker managing property for a client shall not accept any commission, rebate or profit on expenditures made for the client without the client's full knowledge and consent. | Get the owner's consent in writing to any markup, rebate or reward you keep. |
| HUD management certification, form HUD-9839-B | The management agent credits the project with all discounts, rebates or commissions received. | On a HUD-assisted property, rebates and card rewards go to the property. |
| Protective equipment, 29 CFR 1910.132(h) | Protective equipment used to comply with OSHA's standards is provided by the employer at no cost to employees. Non-specialty safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear that may be worn off the job are exceptions. | Cover required safety gear in full. Safety boots can have their own yearly limit. |
| Accountable plans, Treas. Reg. §1.62-2 | Reimbursements are tax-free when expenses are accounted for within a reasonable period (60 days is the safe harbor) and excess advances come back (120 days). Otherwise they are wages. | Set a submission deadline inside 60 days. |
| Meals, entertainment and gifts, IRC §274 | Business meals are 50% deductible when they aren't lavish and an employee is there; entertainment isn't deductible; business gifts are deductible up to $25 a recipient a year. | Log who was at a business meal and why, and keep entertainment and gifts apart from meals. |
| GSA per diem rates, FY2027 | From 1 October 2026: $113 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals in most of the continental US, with higher rates in 295 areas and meal rates from $68 to $92. | The federal rate for the destination sets the tax-free ceiling, and the limit on federally billed travel. |
2026 market benchmarks for property management
Published figures to measure a travel and expense policy against.
| Benchmark | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IRS business mileage, from 1 Jul 2026 | 76¢ a mile (72.5¢ before) | IRS Announcement 2026-11 |
| NAA Apartmentalize 2026, member registration | $985 early, $1,135 advanced | National Apartment Association |
| BOMA International conference 2026, member registration | $925 early to $1,225 onsite | BOMA International |
| Federal per diem, FY2027 standard | $113 lodging, $68 meals and incidentals | GSA |
| California salesperson license renewal | $350 on time, $525 late | California Department of Real Estate |
The property management policy pack
On day one, a company starts from the pack for its industry. This one is for residential and commercial property managers whose staff drive between properties and buy repairs with owners' money: every charge names a property, and owners pay actual cost unless the agreement discloses a markup. Each category starts with a limit and a rule.
Airfare$800 a round tripEconomy at the lowest logical fare: 21 days ahead for conferences and 14 for other trips, when you can.
LodgingMarket rate + 15%Each city's market rate this week plus 15%, or $200 a night where there's no market data. A conference's official block is fine: name the conference. The itemized hotel bill for every stay.
Ground transport and mileage$100 a tripYour own car at the IRS rate for miles between properties beyond your normal commute, with tolls and parking on top except at your own property. Company trucks fuel on the fuel card. Up to $1,000 a month.
Meals$75 a dayWhat you spend on nights away, with itemized receipts at $25 and for every meal billed to an owner. Alcohol inside the limit, never billed to an owner or a property.
Owner and investor meals$100 a personName each guest, their company and the reason. The firm's own cost: never billed to an owner or paid from a property's money.
Events and ticketsNo limitEntertainment with owners, investors or vendors, approved by a manager first. Not tax-deductible, and never billed to an owner.
Gifts$25 a person a yearThe most that's tax-deductible. Move-in and renewal gifts to residents are charged to the property, and gift cards for staff are pay.
Repairs and maintenance$500 a purchaseEvery purchase names the property, the unit or common area and the work order, on the property's supplier account or a company card. Over the owner's limit, the owner's OK first; in an emergency, fix it and tell the owner within a business day. Owners pay the invoice amount, with a markup only at their agreement's rate, on its own line.- Resident events$400 an event$150 for a property under 40 units, $250 for 40 to 80 and $400 over 80, planned in the property's yearly budget. A property cost, with a photo, the flyer or a headcount, and never a staff party.
Software$100 a monthA manager approves any charge over $250. The property software's add-ons come through its admin, and anything that holds resident, owner or payment data needs the admin's OK first.
Equipment$2,000 an itemCompany property. IT approves and tags computers, phones and tablets first, because they hold resident data.- Tools$1,000 an itemPower and specialty tools are company property, tagged. Hand tools you keep are paid back against receipts, up to $500 a year; a flat allowance is pay.
- Safety gear and uniformsNo limitRequired safety gear is always covered. Safety boots up to $200 a year. Uniforms are issued, and nothing comes out of pay for normal wear.
- Licenses, continuing education and dues$600 a person a yearLicenses the job needs, their renewals and continuing education, paid on time; late fees aren't. Other certifications over $500 need a manager's OK first.
Owner-billed travelPer ownerA starting policy for owners who pay for travel, usually on-site staff training: Economy up to $600, hotels at the market rate with no margin ($113 a night where there's no market data) and meals at $68 a day, at actual cost with receipts, never alcohol, and no markup unless the agreement states one.
Every line is a starting point. Admins change limits on screen or in a sentence, and ExpenseOS shows every change it would make before anything applies. From then on, every request is answered against the policy before the money moves, with the rule named, and anything out of policy goes to a person with the reason.
Questions property managers ask
What should a property management company look for in T&E software?
Owners' money kept apart from the firm's, every repair traced to a property and a work order, no hidden profit on what owners pay for, and mileage paid between properties. ExpenseOS starts property managers from a policy pack built for that and answers every request before the money moves, with the rule named.
Can company cards or reimbursements be paid from a trust account?
Not directly. Texas treats paying operating expenses from a trust account, or any withdrawal other than a proper disbursement of trust money, as prima facie evidence of commingling (22 TAC 535.146). Pay cards and reimbursements from the firm's own account, then bill each owner back from that owner's money at the invoice amount. ExpenseOS settles each weekly statement by one debit from the account your admin sets.
Can a property manager mark up repair invoices?
Only as the management agreement allows. Texas disciplines a license holder who takes an undisclosed commission, rebate or direct profit on an expenditure made for a principal (Tex. Occ. Code §1101.652), and New York requires the client's full knowledge and consent (19 NYCRR 175.3). The pack has owners pay the invoice amount, and a markup only at the rate the agreement states, on its own line.
Who keeps card cashback on repairs bought for owners?
Treat it as the owner's unless the management agreement discloses it and the owner agreed: Texas and New York bar undisclosed rebates and profit on a client's spending. On HUD-assisted properties, the management agent credits the project with all discounts, rebates or commissions (form HUD-9839-B). ExpenseOS shows card cashback as its own line on each weekly statement, so it can be passed through or disclosed.
Which miles does a property manager pay back?
Miles between properties and other business stops, not the drive in. Driving from home to your regular place of work is commuting no matter how far it is, while getting from one workplace to another is deductible (IRS Publication 463). The business rate is 72.5¢ a mile from 1 January to 30 June 2026 and 76¢ from 1 July (IRS Announcement 2026-11).
Who pays for maintenance technicians' safety gear and tools?
The employer pays for protective equipment the job requires, at no cost to employees, except non-specialty safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear that may be worn off the job (29 CFR 1910.132(h)). The pack covers required gear with no limit, safety boots up to $200 a year, and hand tools up to $500 a year against receipts.
Related
Start from the property management pack.
A short walkthrough mapped to your policy: what the pack sets up, what you would change, and how every request is answered before the money moves.
Sources
- IRS business mileage rate, 2026
- Commuting and business miles, IRS Publication 463
- Trust accounts, 22 TAC 535.146 (Texas)
- Undisclosed profit, Tex. Occ. Code §1101.652
- Expenditures for a client, 19 NYCRR 175.3 (New York)
- HUD management certification, form HUD-9839-B
- Protective equipment, 29 CFR 1910.132(h)
- Accountable plans, Treas. Reg. §1.62-2
- Meals, entertainment and gifts, IRC §274
- GSA per diem rates, FY2027
- National Apartment Association
- BOMA International
- California Department of Real Estate
Rules and figures as published on 3 November 2026. This page summarizes public rules and published figures for general information; it is not legal or tax advice.