Understanding what can retail workers claim on tax can be challenging, but we’re here to simplify it for you.
At My Tax Refund Today, we specialise in helping retail workers maximise their tax refunds by identifying all possible deductions. Examples of tax deductions for retail workers include protective clothing, travel between jobs, and home office costs, all of which can significantly reduce your taxable income.
Read our comprehensive guide below to help ensure you are maximising your tax refund in 2024.
What Can Retail Workers Claim on Tax?
Tax Deductions for Retail Workers
Clothing Expenses
- Protective Clothing: You can claim expenses for items like gloves, aprons, and steel-capped boots if they’re needed for safety.
- Occupation-Specific Clothing: You can claim the cost of clothing that clearly identifies your profession, such as a chef’s uniform.
- Laundry and Maintenance: If you wash, dry, or repair deductible work clothing, you can claim these expenses.
Car Expenses
- Travel Between Jobs: If you travel directly between two different workplaces on the same day, you can claim these travel expenses.
- Travel to Meetings/Training: You can claim travel costs if you attend work-related meetings or training sessions that are not at your regular workplace.
- Methods to Calculate: You can use either the cents per kilometre method or the logbook method to calculate your car expense deductions.
Home Office Expenses
- Running Expenses: If you work from home, you can claim a portion of your electricity, phone, and internet costs.
- Equipment and Furniture: You can claim the full cost for items under $300 or depreciate the cost for items over $300 that you use for work.
Self-Education Expenses
- Course Fees: You can claim course fees if the course is directly related to your current job and helps you improve or maintain your skills.
- Books, Stationery, and Equipment: Costs for textbooks, stationery, and equipment needed for your studies are deductible.
Tools and Equipment
- Purchase of Tools: If you need tools for your job, you can claim the cost of purchasing them.
- Depreciation of Tools: For tools costing more than $300, you can claim their depreciation value over time.
- Repairs and Maintenance: You can claim the cost of repairing and maintaining your work tools and equipment.
Union Fees and Subscriptions
- Union Fees: You can claim fees paid to a union if it’s related to your job.
- Professional Subscriptions: You can claim fees for professional subscriptions if they are directly related to your work.
Meals and Travel Expenses
- Overtime Meals: If you receive an allowance for meals consumed during overtime, you can claim these expenses.
- Travel Expenses: Work-related travel costs, including accommodation, meals, and incidentals, are claimable if you need to stay away from home overnight for work.
Other Work-Related Deductions
- Phone and Internet: You can claim the portion of your personal phone and internet costs that are used for work purposes.
- Sunglasses, Sunhats, Sunscreen: If you work outdoors, you can claim the cost of sunglasses, sunhats, and sunscreen used to protect yourself from the sun.
- COVID-19 Tests: If you need to take COVID-19 tests for work purposes, you can claim these expenses.
What Can Retail Workers Not Claim on Tax?
Clothing Expenses
- Non-Claimable Clothing: Everyday clothing, even if you wear it for work, is not deductible.
Home Office Expenses
- Non-Claimable Expenses: Expenses like mortgage interest, rent, and council rates are generally not deductible for home office use.
Self-Education Expenses
- Non-Claimable Expenses: Courses that are not related to your current job are not deductible.
Other Non-Claimable Expenses
- Snacks During the Day: Costs for snacks consumed during the workday are not deductible.
- Grooming Costs: Expenses related to grooming, such as haircuts or cosmetics, are not deductible.
What Records Do I Need to Keep?
Maintaining accurate records is essential for maximising your tax claims. You don’t need physical receipts; digital copies like photos or email receipts are fine as long as they include:
- Supplier name
- Expense amount
- Description of goods or services
- Payment date
- Document date
For expenses under $10, you don’t need receipts if they total less than $200. If a receipt is hard to obtain, note the purchase details in a diary.
A simple, reliable system for tracking these records throughout the year will make tax time much easier and ensure you can claim all eligible expenses.
FAQs
What methods can I use to calculate my car expenses?
You can use either the cents per kilometre method or the logbook method to calculate your car expense deductions. Both methods require accurate record-keeping to ensure your claims are valid.
Can I claim everyday clothing worn at work?
No, everyday clothing, even if you wear it for work, is not deductible. Only occupation-specific and protective clothing required for your job can be claimed.
How can I claim for work-related phone and internet use?
You can claim the portion of your personal phone and internet costs that are used for work purposes. Ensure you keep detailed records, such as phone bills with highlighted work-related calls and a logbook for internet usage, to support your claims.
Can I claim travel expenses between different workplaces?
Yes, if you travel directly between two different workplaces on the same day, these travel expenses are claimable. You can also claim travel costs for work-related meetings or training sessions not held at your regular workplace.
Can I claim my parking fees?
You cannot claim a deduction for the cost of parking at your regular workplace. However, you can claim parking fees stemming from visiting a supplier for work, delivering goods or services, attending a training session, visiting multiple work locations in a day, and parking at a temporary place of work. To claim these deductions:
- You must pay for the expense yourself
- You cannot be reimbursed for the parking costs
- The expense must be directly related to you earning income and be incurred during work-related travel
- The expenses cannot be related to parking fees for your regular place of work or toll costs from travelling to and from work
- You must have documentation (receipts or records) to prove the expenses
To learn more about parking tax deductions, you can read our guide here: Can You Claim Parking on Tax?
Conclusion
By knowing which expenses are deductible, such as protective clothing, travel between jobs, and home office costs, you can significantly reduce your taxable income. It’s also crucial to be aware of non-claimable expenses to avoid any issues with your tax return.
Proper record-keeping throughout the year will make the process smoother and ensure you can claim all eligible deductions. Remember, digital copies of receipts are acceptable, and for small expenses under $10, a simple note in your diary can suffice.
For personalised assistance, contact our expert tax agents at My Tax Refund Today. We’re here to help you get the maximum refund possible. Get in touch with us today to take the stress out of tax time.
