Sunglasses. Gym fees. Your dog.
These are just some of the deductions allowed by the ATO – as long as you work in the right industry, of course. It seems strange, but the truth is that for many people working in out-of-the-ordinary occupations, claiming an unusual item or two is actually quite commonplace.
The rules for making a deduction are actually quite simple: you need to have incurred the expense and not be reimbursed by your employer, it must have been related to your job, and you need a written record of the purchase.
Pretty simple. But many people end up losing receipts or not tracking their expenses closely enough, and end up paying more tax than they should.
There are plenty of tools to help you calculate your tax, like this “tax withheld” tool from the ATO. And there are others to even help claim expenses, such as this calculator to help figure out how much you should claim on work-related motor vehicle expenses.
But no tool will help you figure out those quirky, weird little deductions that you may not have realised you can claim.
We’ve put together some examples from a wide range of industries of deductions that, at first, might make you scratch your head. But really – they’re just smart tax strategy.
Not for everyone, of course. But if you’re a real-estate agent, then this one may be in the works for you. The ATO allows deductions for the cost of gifts bought for work purposes, if you’re a salesperson or property manager.
You can also claim other gifts including wine, gift vouchers, or even something simple like the sorts of things you find at Officeworks, such as bound notebooks or an organiser for the new year.
Don’t go out and buy yourself an Apple Watch just yet. But if your profession needs you to use a wristwatch with special characteristics, which can be directly related to income producing activities, then you can claim a deduction for the depreciation.
You can also claim deductions for repairs, batteries and wristbands – but your claim needs to be divided between private and work-related use.
If you have a guard dog, you’re able to deduct the cost of the dog and any costs you have in maintaining it; food, for example. But you can’t just claim any old dog – it needs to be a dog purchased for the purposes of guarding a workplace.
The ATO will take notice if you decide the family pet is suddenly tasked with defending your property as a business expense.
Did you know you can deduct gym fees from your tax?
… That is, if those gym fees are crucial in you performing your day-to-day activities. Like a professional footballer. The ATO says those in professional sport can claim gym fees, and any gym and training equipment that costs under $300 or less.
It doesn’t just have to be footballers. Anyone who’s required to maintain physical fitness in their job – like a personal trainer – can deduct gym fees.
Here’s the catch. You can’t deduct costs for programs designed to manage weight, or any vitamins, minerals or supplements, like protein shakes.
Work outside? Then you can claim sunscreen and sunglasses, according to the proportion you use them for work. You don’t even need to work outside all day – just for a part of the day. (Smoke breaks don’t count – sorry).
Yep. If you rely on research or being aware of popular culture for your job – say, as a journalist, or someone working in the advertising industry – then you can claim the proportionate cost of a paid television subscription.
Fancy yourself a council member? The ATO allows you to deduct up to $1,000 for any election – including a state or federal election campaign.
If you operate any type of electronic equipment, you can claim batteries that power it – like an accountant and a calculator, for instance.
But, as always – speak to an accountant or financial expert first before you claim anything.
Officeworks is Australia’s leading retailer of office supplies, technology, furniture, education resources, art supplies and Print & Create. Officeworks offers more than 40,000 products on its website, catering to micro, small and medium business customers to help them start, run and grow their business. With everyday low prices on quality products and services, including tech-support by Geeks2U, you’ll find everything you need at Officeworks.
