{"id":6529,"date":"2024-08-01T20:24:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T20:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/?p=6529"},"modified":"2024-09-10T19:46:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T19:46:35","slug":"how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"back-to-top\">Housing stipends help maximize your earnings while on assignments because they\u2019re not taxed, making them one of the best parts of being a travel nurse. However, since they\u2019re untaxed, not every traveler qualifies for stipends, and that\u2019s where confusion often occurs. Whether you\u2019re new to travel nursing or you\u2019ve never fully grasped how travel nurse housing stipends work, this comprehensive guide helps you better understand this essential part of your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/nursing\/travel\/salary\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">travel nurse salary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #3c3b3d;color:#3c3b3d\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #3c3b3d;color:#3c3b3d\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#what_are_travel_nurse_stipends\" >What Are Travel Nurse Stipends?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#are_travel_nurse_housing_stipends_taxed\" >Are Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Taxed?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#how_are_travel_nurse_housing_stipends_determined\" >How Are Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Determined?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#how_do_travel_nursing_agencies_calculate_housing_stipends\" >How Do Travel Nursing Agencies Calculate Housing Stipends?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#average_travel_nurse_housing_stipend\" >Average Travel Nurse Housing Stipend<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#do_you_qualify_for_tax-free_housing_stipends\" >Do You Qualify for Tax-Free Housing Stipends?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#debunking_a_housing_stipend_myth\" >Debunking a Housing Stipend Myth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/how-travel-nurse-housing-stipends-work\/#do_you_get_paid_housing_stipends_when_youre_not_working\" >Do You Get Paid Housing Stipends When You\u2019re Not Working?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_are_travel_nurse_stipends\"><\/span><b>What Are Travel Nurse Stipends?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stipends are like reimbursements, except you get this money in advance instead of after the fact. The travel nurse agency adds these stipends to your taxed salary to cover housing costs while on a travel assignment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, you may also hear the term stipends used for per diems for meals and incidentals (M&amp;Is), which agencies calculate separately from housing. Despite being calculated and paid out separately, if a traveler doesn\u2019t qualify for housing stipends, they don\u2019t qualify for M&amp;I stipends either. It may not sound fair, but the two are tied together even if they\u2019re paid apart.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"are_travel_nurse_housing_stipends_taxed\"><\/span><b>Are Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Taxed?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, travel nurse housing stipends aren\u2019t taxed. Thus, if you qualify for stipends, you don\u2019t pay income taxes on them. To be eligible for tax-free stipends, you must have duplicate expenses between your\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/what-is-a-travel-nursing-tax-home\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">permanent tax home<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0and another temporary home you stay at while on an assignment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You pay income taxes on your hourly salary, so your paycheck has a blended rate of taxed and untaxed monies. Your housing stipend may be quoted as a daily, weekly or monthly rate but generally goes on the same weekly or bi-weekly paycheck as your salary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/money-taxes\/travel-nurse-salaries-tips\/\"><b>Dollars and Sense: Travel Nurse Salaries Explained<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #006400;\" href=\"#back-to-top\">Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_are_travel_nurse_housing_stipends_determined\"><\/span><b>How Are Travel Nurse Housing Stipends Determined?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6531\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/02\/Travel-Nurse-Housing-Stipends2-Resized-scaled-e1677539660947.jpg\" alt=\"Travel nurse housing stipend\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The United States General Service Administration (GSA) is an independent agency established in 1949 to help manage the basic functioning of federal agencies, including the procurement of facilities and services. The GSA also establishes the per diem reimbursement rates for federal employees who travel for official work-related purposes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Per diem is a Latin word meaning \u201cper day,\u201d so per diem rates are the per-day reimbursement rate established by the GSA. It bases per diem rates on contractor-provided average daily rate data on the cost of local lodging in each of the 48 continuous states and Washington, D.C.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is this important to travel nurses? It\u2019s important because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also uses GSA per diem rates for private citizens who travel to work away from their permanent tax homes for extended periods, like travel nurses and other traveling healthcare professionals. Thus, the GSA\u2019s maximum per diem rates in a given location are also the maximum rates allowed for travel nurses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the GSA defines three expense categories: housing, meals and incidentals, this post only covers housing. Because the cost of living varies across the country, the GSA publishes different rates for different locations. You can\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsa.gov\/travel\/plan-book\/per-diem-rates\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">explore current per diem rates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0by city or zip code on the GSA\u2019s website. However, the Department of Defense determines <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travel.dod.mil\/Travel-Transportation-Rates\/Per-Diem\/Per-Diem-Rate-Lookup\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">per diem rates in Alaska or Hawaii<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if that\u2019s your travel nursing destination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel nurse agencies can\u2019t pay more than the maximum amount stipulated by the GSA without raising red flags. However, agencies aren\u2019t required to pay the maximum housing stipend or even a set percentage of this maximum, though you may have heard differently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing to consider is that the GSA bases its rates on short-term stays, with overnight accommodation usually in a hotel. Travel nurse contracts typically last about 13 weeks, and nurses may stay in a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/travel-nurse-housing-sites\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">house or apartment under a short-term lease<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is cheaper than staying a few nights in a hotel. Even if a travel nurse stays in a hotel, most establishments offer significant discounts for extended stays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, actual housing costs for a travel nurse are usually less per day than for federal employees. The GSA simply states the maximum amount an employer can reimburse an employee without exchanging receipts. However, you must still keep receipts to prove you have lodging expenses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #006400;\" href=\"#back-to-top\">Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_travel_nursing_agencies_calculate_housing_stipends\"><\/span><b>How Do Travel Nursing Agencies Calculate Housing Stipends?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we\u2019ve established where the maximum amount comes from let\u2019s explore how a travel nursing agency arrives at the stipend it pays a traveler. Each agency may have its own way of calculating housing stipends. However, each one typically considers three primary factors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bill Rate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GSA Maximum<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IRS Guidelines<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bill rates are a huge determining factor for housing stipends and the entire pay package. This rate is the total amount a healthcare facility pays the travel nurse agency for supplying them with a travel nurse to fill a specific role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The agency uses the bill rate to cover every cost associated with an assignment, including the travel nurse\u2019s salary and stipends, plus the agency&#8217;s own expenses and enough profit to remain in business. The larger the bill rate, the more the agency can afford to allocate for housing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Related:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/money-taxes\/everything-travel-nurses-want-to-know-about-bill-rates\/\"><b>Everything Travel Nurses Want to Know About Bill Rates<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As previously covered, the GSA maximum is the ceiling. Some travel nurse agencies may pay the maximum if the bill rate supports it, while others might only pay a fixed percentage of the maximum on all their contracts. Still, others might pay more than the bill rate because travelers net more money if they receive additional non-taxable income, making their jobs more attractive. However, this is against the rules and will raise red flags. Keep this in mind when\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/travel-nurse-agency-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">choosing a travel nurse agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The travel nurse agency also must follow Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines. Per these guidelines, the agency should provide a housing stipend amount that it reasonably expects the traveler will need to cover the actual cost of housing in the area they\u2019re working. For example, housing in Los Angeles or New York would likely cost more than accommodations in a smaller city in the Midwest. Thus, by IRS guidelines, stipends would be lower in the cities with lower-cost housing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #006400;\" href=\"#back-to-top\">Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"average_travel_nurse_housing_stipend\"><\/span><b>Average Travel Nurse Housing Stipend<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calculating an average travel nurse housing stipend is almost impossible because it varies dramatically based on many factors and between regions. However, stipends almost always cover the cost of suitable housing in the area where you\u2019re contracted to work. In very rare cases, the stipend won\u2019t be enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although you can determine the GSA maximum in cities across the nation, this might not do you any good since the bill rate and the agency ultimately decide on the actual stipend. Instead of fixating on the stipend amount, it\u2019s wiser to evaluate the entire pay package to better determine whether the pay is suitable for each\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/nursing\/travel\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">travel nursing job<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do_you_qualify_for_tax-free_housing_stipends\"><\/span><b>Do You Qualify for Tax-Free Housing Stipends?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8183\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/04\/Fully-furnished-travel-nurse-housing-iStock-Resized-scaled-e1722538601309.jpg\" alt=\"Fully furnished travel nurse housing\" width=\"800\" height=\"420\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tax-free stipends often comprise the bulk of a travel nurse\u2019s weekly salary, so let\u2019s run down some instances where you would and wouldn\u2019t qualify to claim them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, two ways you wouldn\u2019t qualify for tax-free travel nurse housing stipends include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you take agency housing instead of making your own housing arrangements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t duplicate housing expenses between a permanent tax home and another temporary residence while on travel assignments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qualifying for stipends begins with establishing a permanent tax home. According to\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/pub\/irs-pdf\/p463.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IRS Publication 463<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, under normal circumstances, your tax home is \u201cyour regular place of business or post of duty, regardless of where you maintain your family home. It includes the entire city or general area in which your business or work is located.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, due to the nature of their work, travel nurses don\u2019t have a regular place of business. They may spend time working in many places while\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/explore\/#careerTools\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exploring<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nursing<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">careers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so their tax home may be where they regularly live.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IRS created a three-part test to help travel healthcare workers determine their tax home status because they don\u2019t have a regular place of work. You must satisfy two of the following three criteria found in Publication 463 to qualify for tax-free housing stipends:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You perform part of your business in the area of your main home and use that home for lodging while doing business in the area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have living expenses at your main home that you duplicate because your business requires you to be away from that home.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You haven\u2019t abandoned the area in which both your historical place of lodging and your claimed main home are located; you have a member or members of your family living at your main home; or you often use that home for lodging.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you satisfy all three, your tax home is definitely where you normally live. If you satisfy two of the three, you probably have a tax home, depending on your exact circumstances. If you only satisfy one of them, you\u2019re considered itinerant and don\u2019t qualify for tax-free stipends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/what-is-a-travel-nursing-tax-home\/\"><b>What Is a Travel Nursing Tax Home?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #006400;\" href=\"#back-to-top\">Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"debunking_a_housing_stipend_myth\"><\/span><b>Debunking a Housing Stipend Myth<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One more important thing to keep in mind is that there\u2019s no such thing as a 50-mile rule regarding whether you qualify for tax-free housing stipends. The IRS defines traveling away from home as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your duties require you to be away from the general area of your tax home substantially longer than an ordinary day\u2019s work, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away from home.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nowhere in the tax rules does the IRS set a specific distance, but you will see and hear \u201c50 miles\u201d many times. The travel agency or the facility where you work on contract may require travelers to live at least 50 miles away for their own reasons. A recruiter may even tell you that it\u2019s an IRS rule, but according to several tax experts we\u2019ve spoken with, this isn\u2019t true.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you determine that you have a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/travel-nurse-residency-rules\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">permanent<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tax<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you must complete and sign a declaration with your travel nursing agency to receive tax-free housing stipends in your pay. It\u2019s wise to ask beforehand what you need as proof of a tax home so you can prepare any necessary paperwork.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Related:\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/money-taxes\/understanding-travel-nursing-tax-rules\/\"><b>Understanding Travel Nursing Tax Rules<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do_you_get_paid_housing_stipends_when_youre_not_working\"><\/span><b>Do You Get Paid Housing Stipends When You\u2019re Not Working?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you get your housing stipend when you\u2019re not working depends on why you\u2019re not working. First, the GSA quotes daily rates because government employees generally only travel a few days at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel nurses don\u2019t work every day of the week, but they\u2019re away from their permanent homes every day and usually can\u2019t return there between shifts. Therefore, they must secure housing for the entire contract, not just the days they work. Travel nurse agencies have a reasonable expectation that travel nurses incur housing expenses every day they\u2019re on an assignment, so they pay housing stipends every day of the week, not just scheduled workdays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, if you miss one or more shifts due to illness, unscheduled vacations or most other personal reasons, you may lose your housing stipend for those days. The travel agency doesn\u2019t get paid for the days you don\u2019t work, so you don\u2019t either.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stipends are part of your salary, so don\u2019t expect to get that money if you call in. Agencies break down the housing stipend for the entire contract to an hourly rate, so if you miss a 10-hour shift, you&#8217;ll lose 10 hours of stipends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if the hospital cancels your shift(s), you should still collect housing stipends and may even collect your entire salary if your contract includes a guaranteed hours clause. If you signed a lease and the hospital cancels a large chunk of the contract for cause, such as performance or disciplinary issues, you could be on the hook to cover the cost for the remainder of the lease. To avoid this risk, try to find month-to-month leases, stay at extended-stay hotels or use housing options with more flexible terms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get a jump on your housing search by checking out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-guides\/travel-nurse-housing-sites\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best Websites for Travel Nurse Housing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0for some great tips, then <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/browse-jobs\/landing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">browse jobs on Vivian<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to find your next travel opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"background-color: #124e3b; color: #fdfeff; font-size: 20px; border-radius: 10px; padding: 15px; min-height: 30px; min-width: 120px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/browse-jobs\/landing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Browse Jobs<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a style=\"color: #006400;\" href=\"#back-to-top\">Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><small><em><b>Please Note: <\/b>We aren\u2019t tax advisers, Certified Public Accountants or attorneys. We aren\u2019t in any way providing any tax advice. All information contained within this blog regarding taxes is purely informational. Vivian always suggests seeking the advice of professional tax advisors to ensure you have the correct and most current information for your unique situation.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who determines how much you get, and how do they decide? We explain it all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":6530,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[290,294,75,90],"class_list":["post-6529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-nursing","tag-discipline","tag-employment","tag-rn","tag-travel"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/02\/Travel-Nurse-Housing-Stipends-Resized-scaled-e1736545706442.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6529"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6529\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}