Tax time can be a chaotic period, so finding your receipts for work related deductions can be a huge hassle. Fortunately, there are some legitimate work related deductions that can be claimed without proof of receipt. Taxpayers may be entitled to claim the following:
Up to 5000 kilometres of work related travel
This might include carrying bulky tools and travel required out of office by your employer.
Laundry and maintenance
Maintenance of work related clothing such as compulsory uniform, protective clothing and occupational specific clothing may be claimed to a maximum of $150 without proof of receipt.
Home office expenses
You may be entitled to claim for the costs of work you have done at home. If so, then simply record the amount of hours worked per week, multiply it by the amount of weeks worked during the financial year and then by a set rate (cents per hour) as set by the ATO (update – from March 2023 taxpayers must keep a written record of all hours worked from home).
Claiming work related deductions up to $300 at item D5 in your tax return
This can include any stationery or tools purchased to assist your work.
Pro tip:
Although these claims require no substantiation via receipt, the ATO still requires any claim to be genuine and incurred. The ATO may seek further information about the legitimacy of the claim. It is best to keep a record to support the basis of any claims to mitigate the risk of further investigation by the ATO.
Author: Lachlan Hunn
Email: lachlan@faj.com.au
