Staking Your Claims on Travel Expenses

1. Work-Related Expenses that You Can Claim, Part 1 Posted on 16 November 2018 For many working holiday makers in Australia like you, traveling may often be its own reward—but what if you can get more out of the income you make? Many jobs often come with related expenses, but the good news is you can file for claims on these expenses and get some of your money back! We’ve already outlined what these expenses are in our previous post so let’s begin with what you can claim on your work-related expenses. Staking Your Claims on Travel Expenses There are three basic travel expenses you can claim: first, expenses for travelling from your primary work place to a second site in the course of your duties. This might be an errand to a satellite office or a storefront. The second type you may incur would be if you’re employed to do itinerant work (which means constant travel is essential to your duties). The third type of travel expense would be when you’re carrying work equipment and large tools (like work ladders, outdoor and office equipment) used in your work. It may be in delivering the equipment to a work site, or bringing them for your work duties. Non-Work-Related Expenses? No Claim There are, however, some travel expenses that may not be claimable, like: 1. Commuting directly to work (traveling to and from your home and workplace) is considered private travel by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You may be able to claim some of it only if you can show that you incurred expense while performing a related task (on your way to work). 2. Travel expenses reimbursed by your boss or employer are not claimable. Nor can you claim Uber payments or taxi fare to go to work (from your home). 3. Travel expenses incurred outside regular work hours are not claimable. This includes being on call, doing over time, and doing trivial tasks en route to work. 4. When you work out of your home office or business and travel to a work location. Tip: Do keep your receipts and other records. These will be required when filing for your claims. Need to know more about these rules? We’re here to help! Australia is the endless summer paradise. But when it comes to claiming your work-related expenses, it’s best to not let the doldrums drown your fun. Know more about what other expenses you can claim for with Part 3 of our “Expenses You Can Claim” series. Happy travels! Claim Your Tax Back Now!