Things you might not know you can claim on your tax return

Do you know what you claim on your tax return? You may be missing out on some easy wins which could earn you a nice big tax return. Many Aussies could be missing out just because they don’t realise everything they’re entitled to claim. However, it’s important to note that you may be asked by the ATO to provide evidence that these claims are genuinely work-related – for any claim over $300, at any time.

But don’t worry, we’ve put together a list of things you may not know you can claim:

Netflix and Stan

If your subscriptions are relevant to your profession or trade you can claim a tax deduction. Think magazines, newspapers, journals, and TV subscriptions.

Working from home costs

If you work from home you’re able to claim on things like energy bills, phone bills, rent, internet costs, home office equipment etc. This is worked out on an hourly basis so it’s important to keep track of how often – and for how long – you’re working from home.

Mobile phone calls and data

You may not work from home but you may still be working when you’re away from the office i.e. on the commute, on the way to meetings etc. Therefore, you’ll be using your mobile phone data to check for emails and such forth. Make sure you work out what percentage of your time is spent doing this and claim against your tax for it.

Make-up

If you work outside in your role and your make-up has sun protection, you can claim. The sun protection is the key component in this information.

Sunscreen

If you work outside then you can claim a tax deduction for sunscreen.

Dogs

If you have a job where you legitimately need a dog i.e. security and farming, you can claim food and vet bills. As the dog is viewed as a capital asset, you can write it off for the life of your four-legged friend.

Caravans

If you have to travel a lot for work and are sick of staying in hotel rooms, so decide to take a caravan with you, you can allocate the cost between business and personal use.

Garden Gnomes

if you’re a property investor and your tenants need a little Gnome in their lives, then you can claim a tax deduction. In fact, this is just one deduction that landlords can claim; fish tanks, heated towel rails, and clocks are on the list too.

Bricks

If you own an investment property you can claim a 2.5 per cent annual tax deduction on the cost of the building. That’s a pretty sizeable chunk of a tax deduction – on a $600,000 that’s a $15,000 deduction each year.

Protecting your income

If you pay any sort of income protection insurance, you can claim the premiums. The only time other insurances can be claimed is if the insured asset is used to produce an income i.e. for a rental property you could claim home insurance or a work vehicle you could claim car insurance.

Art

If you like to collect canvasses to create an ambience in your office, you may be able to claim some back. This only stands if you’re using it to decorate a reception area, boardroom, or staff social rooms etc. It wouldn’t stand if you just decided to brighten up your hallway.

Laundry

You can claim for any costs incurred cleaning a work uniform, including dry cleaning.