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ATO’s Top tips this tax time 

With tax time on the way, tax tips are everywhere. While some advice is helpful, other claims don’t quite add up. With information spreading quickly though AI tools, social media, and group chats, it can be difficult to tell what’s accurate and what’s not.

This year’s message from the ATO: pause and check the facts. Taking a moment to consider where the information comes from can save you time, reduce mistakes and avoid the need for amendments later.

Here are some practical ways to stay on track this tax time:

• Use trusted sources like ato.gov.au, the ATO app or a registered tax professional.
• Make sure claims are supported by records. No records means no claim.
• Check ATO Community to see answers to common questions and check what others are asking.
• Be cautious of advice promising big deductions or ‘secret’ tax tricks.
• Look out for common mistakes like over claiming, missing income or lodging before your pre-fill is ready.

For reliable information, tailored for your occupation, the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) occupation guides are a great place to start. They explain:

• what income you must declare
• which deductions you may be able to claim
• what records you need to keep.

Before you lodge, check the facts at ato.gov.au/agriculture, ato.gov.au/meat, or ato.gov.au/truck.

After you’ve lodged your return, the quickest and easiest way to check the progress of your tax return is with the ATO app or by logging into ATO online services through myGov. Remember, most tax returns lodged online take about 12 business days to be processed.

Car expenses – know what you can and can’t claim

If you use a car for work, it’s important to understand what travel you can and can’t claim at tax time. Most errors in car expense claims happen when people include trips that aren’t genuinely work related.

In most situations, travel between home and your regular place of work is private and not deductible. This applies regardless of:

• distance travelled
• work hours
• whether you work from home some of the time.

Working from home doesn’t automatically make your home a regular place of work for tax purposes, and it doesn’t mean trips between home and work become claimable. You also can’t claim commuting costs such as fuel, tolls or parking.

You may be able to claim car expenses for genuine work‑related travel, such as travelling between separate work locations during the day or from your workplace to meet a client, provided the trip is directly related to earning your income and you weren’t reimbursed.

If you do claim car expenses:

• only claim the work‑related portion
• your claim should reflect your actual work‑related travel, which may be less than the maximum amount allowable
• you must be able to explain how you calculated your claim.

The type of records you keep depends on the method you use to claim. Under the logbook method, you must keep a logbook and written evidence for your car expenses. Under the cents per kilometre method, you don’t need receipts, but you must be able to show how you calculated your work‑related kilometres. This can include diary notes, calendar entries or trips tracked using myDeductions in the ATO app.

Before lodging your return, check what you can and can’t claim at ato.gov.au/claimingcartrips.

After you’ve lodged your return, the quickest and easiest way to check the progress of your tax return is with the ATO app or by logging into ATO online services through myGov. Remember, most tax returns lodged online take about 12 business days to be processed.

Claiming gifts and donations – check before you claim

Donating to a cause you care about is meaningful, but not all donations are automatically tax deductible. You can only claim a tax deduction for gifts or donations made to organisations that have deductible gift recipient (DGR) status.

Many common donations aren’t deductible. This includes money or gifts given to family or friends, donations to some churches or religious organisations that don’t have DGR status, and crowdfunding pages that aren’t run by a DGR.

The simplest way to check the DGR status is by searching for the organisation in the ABN Lookup tool.

1. Search for the organisation
2. Select the correct organisation from the list
3. Review the Deductible gift recipient status

You should also check that the organisation had DGR status at the date you made the donation.

If the organisation shows ‘not entitled’, the donation can’t be claimed. If it shows ‘endorsed’ or ‘listed’, the donation may be claimed. You must have a record to support any donation you claim. Receipts should include the organisation’s name, the donation amount and the date.

For more information, visit ato.gov.au/giftsdonations.

Get tax‑ready with industry tips

Need help with your deductions this tax time?

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) offers occupation‑specific guidance for almost every line of work.

Use these resources to understand:

• deductions you can claim
• income you need to declare
• records you need to keep.

Source: ATO. Find out more at ato.gov.au/agriculture, ato.gov.au/meat, or ato.gov.au/truck.