Individual Tax Return Tips #5 – can I claim anything for Home Office?
Individual Tax Return Tips #5 – can I claim anything for Home Office?
If you complete some work from home, you are entitled to claim a work percentage of home internet, telephone, gas and electricity costs (but not home ownership costs like rates, home loan interest, home improvements, etc). You can also claim any equipment you need to do your work like desks, computers, laptops, ipads, stationary, etc. The main issue the ATO wants to see for these tax deductions, is there to be a portion recorded for personal use V work use. As they are aware that sometimes you will use the expenses noted above for private purposes.
The ATO does allow a claim of 45 cents per hour of work time at home, which this 45 cents go towards the costs you have for electricity, gas and decline in furniture (so this might be easier to claim, compared to working out the work % of electricity and gas used).
By Pat Hoey