With more than a quarter of Australian employers currently having an apprentice or trainee on the books, it’s important that these young individuals understand what they may be able to claim work-wise on their tax returns this year (and that they should be preparing for it sooner rather than later).
You can claim a deduction for the cost of travel while performing your duties. This includes travel between different work locations, including for different employers. Normal trips between home and work are private in nature and can’t be claimed. This applies even if you:
In limited circumstances you can claim the cost of trips between home and work, where:
If you claim car expenses, you must:
An important note to make is that your vehicle is not considered to be a car if it is a vehicle with a carrying capacity of:
You also will need to keep receipts of your actual expenses.
You cannot use the cents per kilometre method for these vehicles. While it is not a requirement to keep a logbook, it is the easiest way to show how you have calculated your work-related use of the vehicle.
You can claim a deduction for self-education expenses if your course relates directly to your current job – for example, your apprenticeship course. You can also claim a deduction for the cost of travel from your home to your place of education and back, or your workplace to your place of education and back. You must keep records of your travel expenses to claim a deduction.
You can’t claim a deduction if your:
You can claim a deduction for tools or equipment you are required to buy for your job. If you also use the tools or equipment for private purposes, you can’t claim a deduction for that use.
For example, if you have a toolset that you use for private purposes half the time, you can only deduct 50% of the cost. If the tools or equipment are supplied by your employer or another person, you can’t claim a deduction.
If a tool or item of work equipment you only used for work:
You can claim a deduction for:
You can’t claim a deduction for plain clothing worn at work, even if your employer tells you to wear it or you only wear it for work (eg workwear or tradie wear that is not designed to provide you with sufficient protection from the risk of injury at your worksite)
You may be able to claim other work-related deductions:
Remember that you can only claim part of the expense that is work-related in this instance.
If you have any concerns or questions about your upcoming tax return, you can come and consult with us – we’re equipped to assist you in all tax-related matters.