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Tax Tips for Individuals

22/6/2020

3 Comments

 
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​Are you making the most of your allowable tax deductions? Individuals can claim for general work-related expenses as well as occupation-specific expenses and working from home. Book a time now - we’ll help maximise your return.

Although your tax return is not due for a few months yet, the end of the financial year is here…
Have you captured all your work-related deductible expenses to make the most of your 2020 tax return?
Income
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) automatically receives information from your employers about salary and wages that you have been paid for the financial year. You need to declare all income from other sources on your tax return as well.
Wages and salaries from employment
  • Pensions, annuities or government payments such as JobSeeker or JobKeeper.
  • Investment income including interest earned and dividends paid.
  • Business or hobby income.
  • Foreign income.
  • Crowdfunding income.
  • Sharing economy income such as Uber or Airbnb.
  • Any other income such as prize money, compensation or insurance payments.
Even if you have only earned a small amount from one of these sources, it still needs to be declared on the tax return. Gather all your records for anything you have earned apart from salary and wage payments from employers.
You will need:
  • bank statements that show interest income;
  • proof of earnings from other sources such as crowdfunding or share economy platforms;
  • records of business or hobby income;
  • records of government payments received;
  • and records of any other payments received from overseas sources, prize winnings, insurance or investments.
Tax Deductions
Employees are entitled to claim work-related expenses as a tax deduction. To claim a tax deduction, you must have spent the money out of your own funds and not have been reimbursed by your employer. The expenses must relate to your earnings as an employee. Make sure you have invoices and receipts as proof of payment for any work-related expenses.
Expenses you may be able to claim
  • Vehicle and travel expenses – make sure you have a travel diary to record details of trips taken for your employment.
  • Clothing, laundry and dry-cleaning expenses – you can claim for occupation specific clothing, uniforms and protective gear.
  • Home office expenses – there are special rules this year for employees working from home because of COVID-19. You will need records of the hours you have worked from home to claim the ATO special rate.
  • Self-education expenses – some education expenses that relate to your current employment are claimable.
  • Tools and equipment – if you buy gear to help you in your job, these may be claimable. Small tools of trade, protective items, professional references and laptops are some examples of equipment you may be able to claim.
Occupation and Industry Specific Guidelines
The ATO recognises that some occupations and industries have specific requirements that employees need to pay for. There are handy ATO fact sheets for many industries, including hairdressers, teachers, performing artists, hospitality workers, lawyers, medical professionals and more.
These guides are a great starting point if you are not sure what you can claim, but we can give you information tailored to your situation when you do your tax return.
Superannuation
If you have made personal superannuation contributions separate to your employer’s superannuation guarantee contributions, you may be able to claim this as a tax deduction. You will need to provide a notice of intent to claim form to your super fund and receive acknowledgement from the fund before doing your tax return.
Book a time with us now to prepare for your tax return and we’ll make sure you maximise your allowable tax deductions this year. Contact Us:

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We are here to help, contact us today:
Brew Accounting Pty Ltd
Phone 0405 027 250 | Web brewaccounting.com.au
Email joanna@brewaccounting.com.au
Suite 7/104 Crown St, Wollongong NSW 2500
Content originally published by BOMA. We have updated some of this article for our readers
3 Comments
tax return melton link
7/9/2020 07:37:50 am

I am returning to completing my own return next year. Instead of letting my accountant complete my return, we will work to revise the relationship to be more around consulting. Through my what if analysis, I will have better questions to ask, and will utilize her time better. I won’t be resentful of paying a data entry clerk to re-type downloadable information. I expect I will feel like I am getting better utilization out of the dollars I spend.

Reply
Toby Ryan link
5/11/2020 03:14:35 am

Thank you for explaining the importance of gathering any information related to the money that you have earned so that it can be disclosed on your tax return. My brother is thinking about becoming an independent landscaper so that he can earn some extra money on weekends in order to help pay for his son's education, but he isn't sure how is income will influence his tax return next year. He should find an accountant that can help him understand what kind of information will be needed.

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Curtis Butler link
24/2/2021 06:59:40 am

I didn't know that any amount of business income that you have generated must be included in your tax return. I remember my aunt mentioning how she was planning on opening a business that restores antique furniture, and she'd like to find a way to prepare her tax return since she plans on using her business as her primary source of income next year. Maybe finding a taxation consultant would help her prepare properly.

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