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SHEPPARTON NEWS, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015
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Tax time Tax man is looking for over-claiming The Australian Taxation Office will focus on unusually high work-related expense claims across all industries and occupations in 2015, a much wider approach than in previous years. Assistant commissioner Adam Kendrick said the ATO’s ability to identify and investigate claims that differ from the ‘norm’ is improving each year due to enhancements in technology and the use of data. “These enhancements mean that every return is scrutinised and it is becoming a lot easier to identify claims that are significantly higher than those claimed by people with similar occupations and employment income,” Mr Kendrick said. Shepparton Veterinary Clinic nurse Felicity Woods is continuing to study while working and has claimed self-education expenses at tax time.
Tax help for upskilling Employees may be eligible for tax deductions for workrelated self-education expenses. Cockram and Cockram Mooroopna accountant Tanya Trevaskis said some costs incurred from training, which are directly related to an individual’s employment, can be claimed. “There must be a direct link between the job you are currently doing and the training. For example a welder, who must undertake a course to learn to use a new piece of welding equipment, could claim those expenses, if they weren’t covered by the employer,” Mrs Trevaskis said.
Alternatively, she said a welder undertaking an unrelated course, perhaps in floristry, could not claim those expenses. Tuition fees, stationery, text books, a percentage of home office costs and travel expenses could be claimed, along with meals, accommodation and parking fees incurred if travelling away from home in certain instances. Mrs Trevaskis said it was important to keep receipts and travel logs to support any claims. She said many of her clients, from professionals to trades people and apprentices, claimed self-education expenses and viewed the scheme as invaluable to maintaining and improving skills. Generally, the first $250 of
self-education expenses can’t be claimed. However, Mrs Trevaskis said this figure could be offset by childcare or travel expenses that were not eligible under the scheme.
“There must be a direct link between the job you are currently doing and the training.” Tanya Trevaskis
Shepparton Veterinary Clinic nurse Felicity Woods is studying Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing through Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE’s
Wangaratta campus and will claim self-education expenses for a portion of her tuition fees. Mrs Woods said her lifelong love of animals led to her career change from administration to veterinary nursing two-anda-half years ago, and in that time she has also completed Certificate III in Companion Animal Studies. “I’ve always wanted to work with animals so I would have undertaken the study anyway, but it’s been helpful to get some assistance,” Mrs Woods said. She is undertaking the course part-time for two years, which enables her to work at the Wanganui Rd and Kialla veterinary clinics to gain practical experience. – Sharon Wright
In addition to focusing on work-related expense claims that are significantly higher than expected, the ATO will also pay particular attention to claims that have already been reimbursed by employers, and for private expenses such as travel from home to work. Mr Kendrick said it was important for people claiming to carefully review their deductions before lodging their tax return to avoid a delay in getting a return. He said there were three key points for people to remember when claiming work-related expenses: you must have spent the money yourself, it must be related to your job and you must have a record to prove it. When claiming work-related travel, it’s important to remember you cannot claim for a normal trip between home and work, unless you use your car to carry bulky tools or equipment which you use for work and can’t leave on the work premises, your home is a base for employment or you regularly work at more than one place each day. The ATO website has a series of videos to help with getting deduction claims right. For more information, go to www.ato. gov.au/deductions or phone 132 861.