According to the ATO, the most common mistakes people make are: Incorrectly claiming work-related expenses; incorrect claims for rental properties; and failing to include all income when lodging.
“There are three golden rules for claiming a deduction for any work-related expense,” an ATO spokesperson said.
“You must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed, the expense must directly relate to earning your income and you must have a record (usually a receipt) to prove it.
“We have published over 40 occupation and industry specific guides on our website which can help you work out what you can and can’t claim specific to your occupation.”
The ATO app also has a handy feature called myDeductions where you take a photo of your receipts and store them digitally.
The best way to make sure you include all income is to wait until the end of July to lodge.
By then, the ATO will have pre-filled income details into your return from a range of sources including your employer, banks and other government agencies.
This will make the tax return process smoother, saving you time and helping you to get your return right.
Tax Help is a free service provided by ATO-trained volunteers, to help individuals who earn $60,000 or less lodge their tax return online.
The aim of the program is to assist, empower and educate taxpayers so they can lodge themselves the following year where possible.
You are eligible for Tax Help if your income is around $60,000 or less for the income year and you did not: work as a contractor – for example, a contract cleaner, taxi or Uber driver; run a business, including as a sole trader; have partnership or trust matters; sell shares or an investment property; own a rental property; have capital gains tax (CGT); receive royalties; receive distributions from a trust, other than a managed fund; or receive foreign income that is not a foreign pension or annuity.
For more about Tax Help or lodging your return, visit ato.gov.au.
Free service from trained volunteer
IF you are not confident lodging your own tax return or need a bit of guidance to ensure you’re getting it right, it’s important you seek advice from people who are trained and accredited to provide it.