It’s been a ‘business as unusual’ year for business owners and taxpayers and this EOFY will be even more critical than others. To get the most out of your tax return, these top fourteen key deductions mustn’t be overlooked.

More importantly than ever, to make the most of and be eligible to receive these deductions, record keeping and thorough tax claims are even more critical.  If you’re running a small business, a rental property owner or an employee, understanding what you’re able to claim on tax can have serious impact on your cash flow and future tax planning.

What can I claim on tax?

When completing your tax return, there are many deductions you can claim against expenses related to your work that people often forget about which you can’t afford to overlook in 2020.

Travel, home office, education, internet and mobile phone connection expenses may be tax deductible and it’s worth talking to a tax professional to determine what you’re eligible for.

1. Prepay expenses

With tax deductions, every little bit counts. Prepaying your expenses can attract a tax deduction that is commonly overlooked.  Small business owners and rental property owners can prepay expenses such as subscriptions, business travel expenses, training events, leases, rent, phone, internet, insurance and business asset repairs, not exceeding more than one year.

2. Review your stock and inventory

Take a good look at your stock, identify any damaged or obsolete stock and write it down or  off. This exercise will impact the value of the trading stock and your profit margins.  You will also need to consider how to value your stock trading every financial year, as you may be entitled to a tax deduction when the opening stock exceeds the closing stock.

3. Review your asset acquisition

Does your business need new or second-hand assets? Now may be a good time to purchase them.  As part of the Federal Government’s recent Coronavirus Stimulus Package, the Instant Asset Write-Off threshold has increased from $30,000 to $150,000 (net of GST) per asset acquired and now applies to businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $500 million.  This measure will apply to all purchases made from 12 March 2020 to 31 December 2020 where the assets are used, or installed ready for use, in the business by 31 December 2020.  Read more here.

4. Union fees

If you pay these each year, you’re entitled to a tax deduction under D5-Other work related expenses.

5. Donations

Donations of $2 or more to an appropriate charitable organisation is tax deductible if you have a receipt.

6. Rental property expenses

Rental property expenses often go unclaimed. The most forgotten deductions are bank fees, gardening and lawn mowing, pest control, security patrol fees, secretarial and bookkeeping fees, travel and car expenses for rent collection, inspections of property and maintenance can be claimed for all commercial properties and only for residential properties where the landlord is in the business of letting properties.  The ATO has announced that rental property expenses can still be claimed in full this year for genuine rental arrangements where the landlord has given the tenant a rental reduction or a rental waiver.

7. Home office expenses

Since COVID-19 entered our world, many people have been working from home and this can attract some tax benefits.  If you run a business from home, you may be able to claim “occupancy costs” and the cost of using your personal computer, software, equipment, furniture, lighting, heating and a percentage of your rent/mortgage as a tax deduction.  However, you may not get the full main residence exemption if your home is your principal place of business  Alternatively, if you’re an employee working from home, you may be able to claim a deduction for expenses you incur relating to that work.

There are three ways of calculating home office expenses depending on your circumstances:

• • Shortcut method (80 cents) — only available 1 March to 30 June 2020
  • Fixed-rate method (52 cents)
  • Actual cost method

You must meet keep the required records and criteria used to calculate your deductions.

8. Income protection insurance

You’re entitled to a tax deduction for insurance premiums paid against the loss of income. Remember though, that this does not include life, trauma or critical care insurance.

9. Work-related car expenses

Business owners and employees who use their personal car for work-related reasons, apart from driving to and from work, can usually claim running costs as a tax deduction where a valid logbook has been kept for a representative period of three months. To be eligible, you must be the owner of the car and your travel must be part of your working day.

10. Internet expenses

If you ever work from home and you have your internet connection in your name, then it’s likely you could claim your internet expenses as a deduction. Estimate your monthly work use as a percentage of the total household use.

11. Mobile phone expenses

As a business owner or an employee, you can claim the cost of your work-related calls, not your entire phone bill. It’s a good idea to keep a logbook of when you use your personal phone, to determine the average percentage of your calls that are work-related.

12. Self-education expenses

You can claim self-education expenses if there’s a direct connection between the course and your role in your business, or your duties as an employee.

13. Cost of managing your tax affairs

If you used a tax agent to prepare and lodge your tax return last year, then you can claim the amount you paid last year on this year’s return.  On your tax return, simply put the amount you paid in 2020 into section D10 – Cost of Managing Tax Affairs.

14. Investment losses and bad debts

If you’re a share trader as opposed to a share investor, don’t overlook the possibility of claiming an investment loss this year.  Speak to your financial adviser to discuss steps that can be taken to minimise the impact and what can be done to help offset the loss against other incomes, such as salaries and wages.  Business owners also need to prove that they have made a genuine attempt to recover any bad debts that may have arisen. Your financial adviser can explain how to document the debt as evidence the amounts were written off before the end of the financial year.

Book your end of year financial review meeting with your Arabon accountant today by calling 1300 ARABON or book online.  In your review, you will have the opportunity to discuss how to make the most out of your deductions this year.

Source: MYOB