Tax Deduction Finder

How it works

From 2026-27, workers can take a $1,000 standard deduction for work-related expenses without receipts, or claim their actual expenses if they're higher. This tool values the work-related claims you can put numbers to (work from home hours at the fixed rate, work kilometres at the cents per km rate, and other expenses you can show), tells you which way comes out ahead, and lists deductions to check for your occupation and investments. It doesn't guess amounts for the checklist: those depend on what you actually spent.

1. 1Select your occupation: each has specific eligible deductions.
2. 2Enter the hours you worked from home and the work kilometres you drove.
3. 3Add other work-related expenses you have records for.
4. 4Select any investments you hold, and enter your income.
5. 5See whether itemising beats the standard deduction, and a checklist to work through.

Worked examples

Questions people ask

What can I claim without receipts?

You can claim up to $300 in work-related expenses without receipts. For laundry of occupation-specific clothing, up to $150 without a diary (but you must have legitimately spent the money). Work from home doesn't strictly require individual receipts under the fixed rate method, but you must keep a record of hours worked from home.

Can I claim my phone and internet?

Yes, the work-related portion. If you use your phone 40% for work and your bill is $100/month, you can claim $480/year. The $0.70/hr fixed rate for WFH already includes a phone/internet component, so don't double-claim. If using actual costs, keep an itemised bill and a 4-week diary to establish the work percentage.

Are study expenses deductible?

Yes, IF the study directly relates to your CURRENT employment: e.g., a nurse doing a specialized nursing course. Not deductible: study for a new career (e.g., a nurse studying accounting). FEE-HELP fees are not deductible. Course fees, textbooks, stationery, and travel to attend are all deductible for qualifying study.

Should I take the new $1,000 standard deduction or itemise?

Take whichever is bigger. From 2026-27, workers can claim a flat $1,000 work-related deduction without receipts, worth $150 of income tax at the 15% rate or $300 at 30%. If your actual work-related expenses add up to more than $1,000, claim them instead, with records. Union fees, donations and income protection premiums for cover outside super are claimable on top of either.

The terms, in plain English

Tax Deduction

An expense you can subtract from your taxable income, reducing the amount of tax you owe. Deductions save you your marginal rate × deduction amount (e.g., $1,000 deduction at 30% = $300 tax saving).

Fixed Rate Method

A simplified way to claim work from home expenses: 67c an hour for 2022-23 and 2023-24 and 70c for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Covers electricity, internet, phone and stationery, and needs a record of the actual hours worked from home.

Cents per Km Method

A simplified way to claim car expenses: 91c a km for 2026-27 (88c for 2024-25 and 2025-26), up to 5,000 work km a car. You don't need written evidence, but you need a record of how you worked out the kilometres.

Substantiation

ATO requirement to prove deductions with records: receipts, invoices, bank statements, or diary entries. Required for claims over $300 total and for specific categories.

Official sources

• Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Act 2026legislation.gov.au
• ATO: Working from home - fixed rate methodato.gov.au
• ATO: Cents per kilometre rate for 2026-27 (LI 2026/19)ato.gov.au

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