Are You Claiming Work Related Expenses?

The ATO have announced they will be paying close attention this year to individuals who are over-claiming on work-related expenses.

To ensure you are claiming the right amount for deductions, here are three simple rules you can follow:

1. You've spent the money and were not reimbursed

2. It’s directly related to earning your income, and not of a private nature

3. Have a record to prove it

Some other things you need to consider before making a work-related expense claim:

· Would my employer confirm the expenses were required to earn my income and that they were not reimbursed?

· Am I automatically entitled to claim standard deductions? Exceptions to keeping written evidence for a claim makes things simpler (for example using the cents per kilometre method for car expenses), but you still need to have spent the money and be able to show how you worked out your claims.

· Receiving an allowance from your employer does not necessarily entitle you to a deduction.

To assist with keeping track of your work-related expenses there are a number of mobile phone apps on the market. These include the free ATO app myDeductions, which also allows you to record vehicle trips and email the data to your accountant for inclusion in your tax return.