Tax Returns - Claiming Home Office

Can I claim tax deductions if I work from home?

Do you work for a slave driver and have to take work home with you, or are you lucky enough to base yourself at home some days? Well if you do, you can make a home office claim in your etax return and increase your tax refund.

To be able to claim home office usage, you must have a designated office at home, not just sit at the dining table.   As an employee you are entitled to claim some home office running costs. However, as an employee you cannot claim home occupancy costs, such as; rates, home insurance, rent or mortgage interest. These occupancy costs can only be claimed in limited circumstances when you run a business from home.

What deductions can you claim?

• Home office running costs (ATO hourly rate)

What do you need to claim?

• Reasonable idea of hours worked from home during the year (you need to keep a 1-month diary to show average use) 

For example:

Skye is an accountant who works in the city. Skye’s employer has agreed that she can work from home two days per week.

She has a home office that she works in on the days she does not travel to the city. Skye keeps a log book to record the number of hours she works at home.

Skye can claim her home office costs based on the number of hours worked at home multiplied by the ATO hourly rate.

You may also be able to claim phone and internet expenses due to working at home.  

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Note that the information provided is general in nature and subject to change, please contact one of our professionals who can evaluate your circumstances and provide more accurate advice to your current situation.