Accounting-Moving Expenses
New faculty are often provided with start-up funds by the College of Letters and Science and the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education (VCRGE). These funds can be used for moving expenses, as well as the purchase of a UW computer. Your appointment (offer) letter will detail if your funds have been approved for moving expenses. If moving expenses are not listed as an approved expense, you must first request approval of your funds for this use. Additionally, these funds have an end (expiration) date, usually one year. If you are unable to utilize your funds before the end date listed in your appointment letter, you can request an extension of that date.
Prior to utilizing funds for relocation expenses, the School of Music must receive approval by the Dean’s Office to distribute the funds.. This approval serves as a notification that you will be utilizing your start up funds for relocation. As part of this process, a Relocation Authorization Letter needs to be submitted to the Director of the School of Music for signature, and then sent on to the L&S Dean’s Office for their review, and approval. You can contact Gary Barnes in the business office at: gary.barnes@wisc.edu, to begin this process.
Once approved, you will have three options to access your funds:
1.You may request a lump sum stipend, or Employee Relocation Award, for up to $5,500 of your flexible funds. Please note that if you choose this option, these funds will be considered taxable income, and therefore reportable on your W4 at the end of the calendar year. These funds are taxed at a higher rate than your regular salary.
2.You may also pay the moving company, or carrier, directly. To begin that process, you will need to obtain a price quote from the carrier, especially if the total amount is greater than $5,000. You will also need to obtain a copy of the carrier's W-9 form, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf. Once you have obtained both documents, please forward them to the School of Music Business Office (gary.barnes@wisc.edu). The business office will process the payment and the carrier will be paid directly.
3. You may also choose to move yourself. If you choose this option, you must provide a copy of the itemized Bill of Lading and all paid receipts to the business office for reimbursement.
Finally, even though you may choose any moving company you wish, the UW Madison does have several vendors with substantially reduced rates, which include: Piepho Moving & Storage, elizabeth.piepho@piepho.com. Armstrong/ Mayflower, UW@GoArmstrong.com. United Van Lines, wiscomoving@gmail.com.
IMPORTANT: If you choose a moving vendor other than the UW
Madison’s list of recommended vendors, you will need to acquire a total of 3
price estimates from individual vendors with at least one being a UW
Contract Vendor. Payment level will
be limited to the lowest of the 3 vendors, and you will be responsible
for covering any of the remaining costs.
A full explanation of relocation policies is located at the following UW Business Services website: https://businessservices.wisc.edu/documents/323-relocation/
Please refer to the Relocation Expense Chart below for items that can be reimbursed as part of your moving expenses.
Relocation
Expenses Chart
Reimbursable
Moving Expenses |
Non-Reimbursable
Moving Expenses (The stipend may be used to offset these expenses.)
|
Household
Goods and personal Effects such as: • Furniture
• Cabinet/Closet
contents • Clothing
• Musical
instruments • Household
appliances • Food
Direct Costs Associated with the Relocation of Household
Goods (additional fees charged by the moving company on the bill of lading):
• Line
Haul • Fuel/Insurance
Surcharge • Seasonal
Rate Adjustment • Long
Carry • Stairs
• Elevator
• Piano/Organ
Moving • Extra
Labor • Appliance
Service • One-way
mileage cost at the present standard rate of moving one vehicle to the new
residence using the most direct route* • Purchase
of containers/packing materials • Ferry
charges/Tolls • Packing/Unpacking
*Mileage
claim may not exceed mileage shown on the bill of lading
|
• Property
for resale • Property
not owned by the family • Farm
equipment • Livestock
• Trailers
• Boats
over 14 feet • Mileage or
hauling/towing of additional vehicles (motorcycles, trucks, recreational
vehicles and automobiles) • Building
materials • Items
used in a personal business • Items that
may be found in a household, but which the carrier cannot or will not allow
to be placed in the moving van (i.e. pets, flammable items, caustic aerosols,
spoilable items, plants, jewelry, frozen foods, etc.) • Swing
sets, jungle gyms and other similar outdoor items • Exclusive
Use/Space Reservation/Expedited Service Charges • Valuation/Additional
insurance • Extra
pickup of household goods • Storage
• Warehouse
handling • Weight
additives for transporting any bulky articles • Travel
costs en route (meals, lodging, tolls, etc.) • Overtime
loading/unloading as required by the customer • Weight
and bulky article charges • Third
party services • Storage
for the convenience of the employee • Other
costs associated with the move |