As a bricklayer, there are several expenses you can claim to boost your tax refund. Understanding these can significantly enhance your financial standing come tax time.
Vehicle Expenses: Navigating the Roads to Tax Deductions
For bricklayers, vehicle expenses often constitute a significant part of work-related deductions. Here’s when you can claim these costs:
- Work-related Travel: If you’re driving between job sites or to pick up tools, these trips are claimable.
- Multi-job Commuting: Traveling from one job directly to another? That’s deductible.
- Bulky Tools Transport: If you need to transport large tools and can’t store them safely at work, your commute becomes deductible.
To claim these expenses, remember to keep a logbook for 12 consecutive weeks to determine the work-related percentage or track your kilometers for the cents-per-kilometre method.
Protective Gear and Maintenance Costs
The physical nature of bricklaying means protective clothing is essential. You can claim:
- Safety Apparel: This includes hard hats, high-visibility clothing, protective boots, and safety glasses.
- Uniforms with Logos: If your uniform has your company’s logo, both purchase and laundry costs are deductible.
Communication Tools: Staying Connected
In today’s connected world, using personal phones and internet for work is common. Bricklayers can claim:
- Partial Phone and Internet Bills: If you’re required to use your personal devices for work purposes, a portion of these costs can be deductible. Keep a logbook for a month to determine the business-use percentage.
Other Essential Work-Related Expenditures
Bricklayers have a range of other expenses that can be claimed:
- Tools and Equipment: Your essential toolkit, including trowels, spirit levels, hammers, and more, can be claimed if you have receipts.
- Educational Expenditures: Courses directly related to your current job role are deductible.
- Income Protection Insurance: A crucial safety net for many tradespeople.
- Sun Protection: Essential items like sunglasses and sunscreen, if your job requires outdoor work.
- Licenses and Certificates: Costs associated with professional permits, except for your driver’s license.
- Travel and Accommodation: If your work requires you to be away from home, these expenses are claimable.
For costlier items like computers or equipment over $300, the deduction needs to be spread over several years.
Adhering to the ATO’s Guidelines
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) sets clear rules for deductions:
- Personal Expenditure: You must have incurred the expense yourself without any reimbursement.
- Income-Related: The expense must directly relate to your income generation.
- Documentation: Keep records to substantiate your claims.
Understanding these guidelines can help bricklayers navigate tax season effectively, ensuring they claim all relevant deductions while remaining compliant with ATO regulations.