When it comes to any work related expenses claim it must meet certain criteria –
- You must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed
- It must be directly related to earning your income
- You must have a record to prove it
Also note that you can only claim the work-related part of expenses. You can’t claim a deduction for any part of the expense that relates to personal use.
Car, clothing and self-education expenses may be able to be claimed if you meet certain criteria, teachers can also sometimes claim home office expenses.
Can I Claim Home Office Expenses as a Teacher?
You can claim a percentage of the running costs of your home office if you have to work from home, including depreciation of office equipment, work-related phone calls and internet access charges as well as electricity for heating, cooling and lighting costs.
If you are required to purchase equipment for your work and it costs more than $300 you can claim a deduction for this cost spread over a number of years (depreciation).
You generally can’t claim the cost of rates, mortgage interest, rent and insurance.
Other Common Deductible Work-Related Expenses for Teachers
As long as the expense relates to your employment, you can claim a deduction for the work-related portion of the cost of:
- Phone and internet usage
- Excursions, school trips and camps
- First aid courses
- Seminars and conferences
- Protective equipment such as sunglasses & lab coats
- Teaching aids
- Technical or professional publications
- Union and professional association fees.
Many teachers do purchase things for their students that can’t be claimed back. Do be aware that you can’t claim a deduction for the cost of:
- Gifts you purchase for students
- Meeting students’ personal expenses ie paying for lunch, excursions or school books.
For more information on the deductions you wish to claim phone or email our office.
