Keeping Clients Informed

Under section 45 of the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024, Spencer Accountants is required to notify current and prospective clients of various matters including the existence of a register of tax agents, how a complaint against a tax agent can be made, information about our responsibilities as a tax agent, certain events which have occurred in the last 5 years and whether our registration as a tax agent is subject to conditions. Details on this can be found below.

Important Information

Centro Tax Pty Ltd as trustee for Spencer Accountants Unit Trust trading as Spencer Accountants is a tax agent registered with the Tax Practitioners Board (the TPB). Our TPB registration number is 25495110.

All tax agents are required to comply with the TPB’s Code of Professional Conduct (the Code).

As part of our obligations under the Code (specifically, under section 45 of the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024), we are required to make you aware of a number of matters, namely: 

• that the TPB maintains a register of tax agents and BAS agents and how you can access and search the register;
• how you can make a complaint about a tax agent service that we have provided, including the complaints process of the TPB; 
• general information about our rights, responsibilities and obligations as a tax agent (including the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 (the TASA) and the Code)
• as well as your obligations to us as your tax agent;
• certain events that have occurred in the last 5 years; and
• if our registration as a tax agent is subject to certain conditions imposed by the TPB. 

We have provided details on each of these below.

TPB - Register of Tax Agents

The TPB regulates tax agents to protect and assure clients that tax agents meet appropriate standards of professional and ethical conduct.

The TPB maintains a public register where you can obtain details of registered tax agents as well as certain unregistered entities and individuals. It also includes public details of past breaches of the Code and specific sanctions imposed on tax agents.

You can access the TPB Register via the TPB website.

You can search the TPB Register by entering the details of the tax agent you are working with, or any other tax agent. The TPB website also provides guidance on how to search the TPB Register.

Reporting a Complaint

If you have a concern about any aspect of the services provided to you by Spencer Accountants, please complete the complaints, compliments and feedback form.

The TPB also has a complaints process in relation to the provision of tax agent services. You can raise a concern with the TPB in relation to the provision of tax agent services by completing their online complaints form.

Rights, Responsibilities and Obligations

All tax agents have obligations to the TPB. Tax agents also have other obligations, including to their clients.

As a tax agent, Spencer Accountants must comply with the TASA, including the Code of Professional Conduct. The Code sets out the professional and ethical standards that registered tax agents are required to comply with. It outlines the duties that registered tax agents owe to their clients, the TPB and other registered tax agents.

Obligations within the Code include, but are not limited to, acting with honesty and integrity, acting in the best interests of your client, taking reasonable care and ensuring services are provided competently. You can access the Code and learn more about the principles.

Spencer Accountants is committed to ensuring all our tax professionals are aware of, and are, at all times, acting in accordance with the TASA and the Code.

Clients also have obligations under taxation laws and to their tax agent. This includes being truthful with the information provided, keeping complete records and providing them, if required, on a timely basis, advising of any changes that may impact the tax agent services, being co-operative with requests and meeting due dates.

You can learn more about the obligations on the TPB website or the TPB’s fact sheet Information for Clients.

Certain Events

Tax agents are required to advise their clients if any of the following events have occurred within the period since 1 July 2022:

• their registration was suspended or terminated by the Board;
• they become an undischarged bankrupt or went into external administration;
• they were convicted of a serious taxation offence;
• they were convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty;
• they were serving, or were sentenced to, a term of imprisonment in Australia for 6 months or more;
• they were penalised, subject to an injunction, or been subject to an order for breaching a voluntary undertaking, for being a promoter of a tax exploitation scheme;
• they were penalised, subject to an injunction, or been subject to an order for breaching a voluntary undertaking, for implementing a scheme that has been promoted based on conformity with a public ruling, private ruling or oral ruling in a way that is materially different from that described in the ruling;
• they were penalised, subject to an injunction, or been subject to an order for breaching a voluntary undertaking, for promoting based on conformity with a public ruling, private ruling or oral ruling, a scheme that is materially different from that described in the ruling; and
• the Federal Court has ordered them to pay a pecuniary penalty for contravening a civil penalty provision under the Act.

None of these events have occurred in relation to Spencer Accountants.

Registration Subject to Conditions

Under section 45 we must advise our clients of any conditions currently imposed on us by the TPB. A ‘condition’ limits the scope of services that a tax agent can provide or limits the services to a particular area of taxation law. Details of any conditions imposed on a tax agent’s registration will appear in the TPB Register.

There are no conditions currently imposed on Spencer Accountants’ tax agent registration.

Historical Information

The information and events disclosed on this page were last modified in June 2026.

 

Our TPB registration number is 25495110

This engagement letter, including the attached terms and conditions, sets out the basis of our engagement.

Who We Are Acting For

We are acting for {name} only. Where you would like us to act for anyone else, we will issue a separate engagement letter to them.

Period of Engagement

This engagement starts on the date you sign and return this engagement document to us, and once we have completed any required client identification and acceptance procedures. Unless otherwise agreed, the first period for which we will be responsible is the relevant income year or accounting period for which you have requested services. Previous income years or accounting periods are not included unless specifically agreed by us in writing.

The terms of this engagement letter will continue to apply to future engagements unless otherwise agreed, subject to any updated scope, fees or terms notified to you.

Scope of Services

You have requested that we provide the services listed in the service summary of this engagement. The objective of our engagement is to prepare and, where applicable, lodge the agreed taxation, accounting, bookkeeping, compliance or advisory work based on the information you provide and information available to us from relevant third parties or government agencies. Our work will be performed in accordance with applicable professional standards, including APES 305 Terms of Engagement, APES 220 Taxation Services, APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, and relevant requirements under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination 2024 and associated Tax Practitioners Board guidance.

If we agree to provide additional services to you, we may provide you with a new or amended engagement letter.  If we do not, those additional services will be provided under this engagement letter.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, our engagement does not include audit or review services, and no assurance will be expressed. Our engagement also does not include financial product advice, tax financial advice, legal advice, valuation services, insolvency advice, or representation in an ATO review, audit, objection or dispute unless we specifically agree to provide those services in writing.

Before we lodge any return, statement or document with the ATO or another authority, we may provide it to you for approval. You are responsible for checking the document carefully and confirming that the information is complete, true and correct before lodgement.

We will not verify the accuracy or completeness of information supplied to us except to the extent required by our professional obligations or expressly agreed in writing.

Service Summary:

You have requested the following services:

Personal Income Tax Return Preparation

Briefly, this service includes:

• Creation or update of your profile in our tax software, including;
  • Updating of our client management software for any changes to your details; and
  • Downloading and input of your ATO prefill information

• Preparation of your income tax return by a CA or CPA accountant, including;
  • Input of information into the return/our internal workpapers that you have supplied documents for; and
  • Input of information we obtain from you from answers to our questions
  • Making appropriate copies/preparing internal workpapers as required
  • Advising you of your substantiation requirements; and
  • Completion of our internal compliance questionnaire.
    • At all times we rely on such information you provide as being true, correct and complete and will not audit the information.

• Review by the registered tax agent before lodgement and where changes are deemed necessary due to any error or omission, these will be communicated to you for acceptance and confirmation. 

• Lodgement of your income tax return
  • Upon the ATO processing your lodgement, your notice of assessment will be posted to you direct from the ATO or sent to you via your MyGov account if applicable.
  • Upon lodgement, we will review any differences between our software estimation and the ATO’s assessment notice only where you have advised us of this occurrence.
  • This engagement does not include assistance in the event of an ATO audit which will incur additional charges where requested.

Fees

Our fees are a combination of fixed fee components and our hourly rates.

Our fixed fee components are based on you providing organised, complete and readily available source documents at the time the service is requested.

Where the source document is not provided, not in a suitable summary format, not completed in the allotted time, or not provided in an organised state, our services revert to our hourly rates.

For personal income tax returns completed on the spot with you in attendance, with all documents provided in the allotted time and in accordance with the above requirements, our fees will be charged as per our fee schedule.

For all other instances and in general otherwise, our hourly rates apply and are included below (current as of 1 July 2026):

Position	Hourly Rate (Including GST)
Registered Tax Agent - Accountant	$429.00
Manager (CA or CPA) - Accountant	$297.00
Bookkeeper - Payroll Services	$132.00
Bookkeeper - Standard Services	$110.00
Administration Support	$99.00

Our fees are reviewed, and subject to change, each financial year.

• Our fees will always be payable prior to lodgement and are payable regardless of the refund result. 
• Our fees may be payable upfront in certain circumstances such as late lodgements. Your tax invoice will be issued upfront where required, or upon completion otherwise. 
• We accept payment via EFT, Cash, Credit Card or online. Our account terms include fees & interest where an overdue account exceeds 30 days. 

 

 

 

1. Who May Instruct Us

You confirm that you, and any other person you nominate in writing from time to time (provided we have acknowledged such nomination), are authorised to give us instructions and information on behalf of all persons we are acting for and to receive our advice and documents on their behalf.

If we are acting for a business, and we receive conflicting advice, information or instructions from different persons, we may refer the matter to the board of directors, partners or proprietors (as applicable) and act only as requested by them.

2. You and Your Spouse/Partner 

We will advise you and your spouse/partner on the basis that you are a family unit with shared interests.  We may deal with either of you and may discuss with either of you the affairs of the other. If you wish to change these arrangements, please let us know.

3. Know Your Customer

We may be required to collect, verify and maintain your personal information and, where applicable, information about beneficial owners, controllers or related parties to comply with applicable anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and proliferation financing laws, including the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth), associated rules and customer due diligence requirements. These obligations may include establishing and verifying your identity and beneficial ownership, assessing risk on an ongoing basis, monitoring relevant activity, making reports to regulatory authorities where required by law, and complying with record keeping obligations.

You agree to provide all information and documentation reasonably requested for these purposes and acknowledge that we may make enquiries or searches of appropriate databases. Where we are unable to complete required customer due diligence, or where AML/CTF concerns arise that cannot be satisfactorily addressed, we may suspend, refuse to provide services, or terminate this engagement without liability and without being required to provide reasons where prohibited by law.

4. Your Responsibilities

You must provide us with all information necessary for dealing with your affairs, including information we reasonably request, in sufficient time to enable our services to be completed before any applicable deadline. You are responsible for ensuring that all information provided to us is truthful, complete and accurate. We will rely on the information provided by you or on your behalf and will not audit or independently verify it unless we are specifically engaged to do so.

You authorise us to approach such third parties as may be appropriate for information that we consider necessary to deal with your affairs.

You must keep us informed on a timely basis of changes in your circumstances that may affect our services. 

You must retain all source documents and substantiation records required by taxation laws, including receipts, invoices, logbooks, diaries, calculations and other evidence relevant to claims made or amounts reported. We may request to see source documents where clarification is required, where a tax issue is contentious, or where professional obligations require further enquiry.

If information is provided late, is incomplete, or is subsequently found to be incorrect, we will do our best to meet relevant deadlines but we will not be responsible for penalties, interest, additional tax, missed deadlines or other consequences arising from delay, omission or inaccuracy in information supplied by you or on your behalf.

5. Qualifications on Our Services

To the extent our services involve the performance of services established by law, nothing in the engagement letter or these terms reduce our obligations under such law.

You must not act on advice given by us on an earlier occasion without first confirming with us that the advice is still valid.

Our services are limited exclusively to those you have engaged us to perform. Unless otherwise specified in the engagement letter, our services cannot be relied upon to disclose irregularities and errors, including fraud and other illegal acts, in your affairs. Neither an audit nor a review will be conducted and, accordingly, no assurance will be expressed.

Where our engagement is recurring, we may amend our engagement letter and these terms where we consider it is necessary or appropriate to do so.  If you do not accept such amendments, you must notify us promptly in which case you may terminate our engagement in accordance with section 18 below and those amendments will not apply prior to such termination.

6. Reliance on Advice

We will endeavour to record all advice on important matters in writing. Advice given verbally is not intended to be relied upon unless confirmed in writing. If we provide verbal advice (for example during a meeting or telephone conversation) that you wish to rely on, you must ask us to confirm the advice in writing.

7. Investment and Financial Advisory Advice 

We will not provide you with investment or financial advice regulated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) unless we have expressly agreed to do so in writing, specifying an applicable Australian Financial Services Licence number.

8. Professional Obligations

We will comply with the professional and ethical standards of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board, available at apesb.org.au. This includes APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards), which among other things contains provisions that apply if we become aware of any actual or potential 'non-compliance with governing laws or regulations' (NOCLAR). Where any such non-compliance poses substantial harm (such as serious adverse consequences to investors, creditors, employees, auditor, group auditor or the public), we may be required to disclose the matter to an appropriate authority. 

9. Conflicts of Interest

We will inform you if we become aware of any conflict of interest in our relationship with you (including between the various persons this engagement letter covers) or in our relationship with you and another client. Where conflicts are identified which cannot be managed in a way that protects your interests then we will be unable to provide further services to some or all of the persons to whom this engagement applies. If this arises, we will inform you promptly.

We may act for other clients whose interests are not the same as or are adverse to yours, subject to the obligations of conflicts of interest and confidentiality referred to above. 

10. Fees and Payment 

Our fees will be charged on the basis set out in the engagement letter and have been set based on the level of skill, responsibility, importance and value of the advice, as well as the level of risk.  

If we have provided you with an estimate of our fees for any specific work, this is an estimate only and our actual fees may vary.

We may provide a fixed fee for the provision of specific services. If it becomes apparent to us, due to unforeseen circumstances, that a fixed fee is inadequate, we may notify you of a revised figure and seek your agreement to it.

In some cases, you may be entitled to assistance with your professional fees, particularly in relation to any investigation into your tax affairs by the ATO. Assistance may be provided through insurance policies you hold or via membership of a professional or trade body. Other than where such insurance was arranged through us, you will need to advise us of any such insurance cover that you have. You will remain liable for our fees regardless of whether all or part are to be paid by someone else. Our invoices will be billed in line with the billing schedule within this engagement, and invoices will be due for payment by the due date as outlined on your invoice.

Our fees set out in our engagement letter are exclusive of GST which will be added to our invoice where it is chargeable. Any disbursements and expenses we incur in the course of performing our services will be added to our invoices where appropriate, plus GST.

Unless otherwise agreed to the contrary, our fees do not include the costs of any counsel, or other professionals or third parties engaged with your approval.

We may charge interest on late paid invoices at the rate of 5% above the RBA cash rate. We may also suspend our services or to cease to act for you on giving written notice if payment of any fees is unduly delayed.

We intend to exercise these rights only where it is fair and reasonable to do so.

11. Lien

If permitted by law or professional guidelines, we may exercise a lien over all materials or records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid in full.

12. Client Monies

Spencer Accountants maintains a trust account for dealing with client monies on behalf of clients. We can only accept money into our trust account on your behalf where you have provided written authority specifying the money to be held, the purpose for which it is held, and the authority given to us in relation to that money.

Where client monies are held, they will be dealt with in accordance with applicable written instructions, APES 310 Client Monies, APES 220 Taxation Services, and any relevant audit, record keeping and reporting obligations. We will provide further trust account authority documentation where required.

13. Confidentiality

We will take all reasonable steps to keep your information confidential, except where: 

• we need to disclose your information to our service providers (including auditors of client monies if applicable) or regulatory bodies in performing the services, our professional advisers or insurers or as part of an external peer review from time to time. Our files may also be subject to review as part of the quality review program of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. By accepting this engagement, you acknowledge that, if requested, our files relating to this engagement will be made available under this program. We will take reasonable steps to ensure any such recipient (other than a regulatory body) keeps such information confidential on the same basis;
• we are required by law, regulation, a court of competent authority, regulatory body, professional body, insurer, quality reviewer or professional obligations referred to in section 8 above to disclose the information. This includes disclosures required under anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation, taxation laws, professional standards, and circumstances where notification to you is prohibited by law;
• • we provide limited information (but only to the extent reasonably necessary) to potential purchasers (or their professional advisors) of our practice but we will take reasonable steps to ensure that any such recipient keeps the disclosed information confidential;
• we use de-identified or aggregated information for training, research, quality improvement, benchmarking or technology development purposes; or
• you give us permission to disclose the information.   

We may retain your information during and after our engagement to comply with our legal requirements or as part of our regular IT back-up and archiving practices. We will continue to hold such information confidentially.

We may use digital tools and software to assist with data processing, calculations, document drafting, workflow management and quality control. A registered tax practitioner will remain responsible for tax agent services provided to you, and any advice issued will continue to be based on our professional judgment. We will use such tools consistently with our confidentiality, privacy, professional and security obligations.

14. Privacy

You must make all necessary notifications and obtain any necessary consents for us to process personal information you provide to us. We collect and use that personal information for the purposes of providing the services described in the engagement letter to you and we will comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) when processing that personal information. Our privacy policy provides further details of our privacy practices.

15. Ownership of Materials

We own the copyright and all other intellectual property rights in everything we create in connection with this engagement. Unless we agree otherwise, anything we create in connection with this agreement may be used by you only for the purpose for which you have engaged us.

All working papers prepared by us (in any form whatsoever, including physical and electronic) remain our property. We will retain these papers in accordance with our normal record keeping practices in accordance with our professional and legal obligations.

You agree we can use your logos and trademarks for the sole purpose of providing advice to you in connection with the engagement, unless you tell us otherwise.

16. Limitation of Liability

Our liability is limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

You agree not to bring any claim against any of our principals, partners, directors, shareholders and/or employees in their personal capacity.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable to you for:

• indirect, special or consequential losses or damages of any kind; or
• liability arising due to the acts or omissions of any other person or circumstances outside our reasonable control, or your breach of these terms.

17. Limitation of Third Party Rights

Our advice and information are for your sole use, and we accept no responsibility to any third party, unless we have expressly agreed in the engagement letter that a specified third party may rely on our work.    

18. Termination

Each of us may terminate this agreement by giving not less than 21 days’ notice in writing to the other party. We may terminate immediately where a conflict of interest has arisen, AML/CTF concerns arise, you fail to cooperate with us, you do not provide information we reasonably require, you fail to pay our fees when due, or we have reason to believe that you have provided us or any other person with misleading, incomplete or factually inaccurate information. Termination will not affect any accrued rights, including our entitlement to payment for work performed and disbursements incurred up to the date of termination.

19. Communication

You must advise of any changes to your contact details.  We may send any communications to the last contact details you have provided. Unless you instruct us otherwise, we may, where appropriate, communicate with you and with third parties via email or by other electronic means. The recipient is responsible for virus checking emails and any attachments. There is a risk of non-receipt, delayed receipt, inadvertent misdirection or interception by third parties in any form of communication, whether electronic, postal or otherwise.  We are not responsible for any such matters beyond our control. 

20. Applicable Law

Our engagement is governed by Western Australian law. The courts sitting in Western Australia will have non-exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any dispute between us.

21. Interpretation

If any provision of the engagement letter or these terms is void, that provision will be severed and the remainder will continue to apply. If there is any conflict between the engagement letter and these terms, the engagement letter prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

22. Disputes and Complaints

If you have any concerns about our costs or services, please speak to the person responsible for this engagement, who is identified in our engagement letter.  To resolve your concerns, we have policies and procedures in place to deal appropriately with complaints and will use best endeavours to resolve a complaint or dispute to the mutual satisfaction of the parties involved. We may require you to detail your complaint in writing to allow us to fully investigate any concerns that you raise. 

Where your complaint concerns a tax agent service that we have provided, you also have the right to make a complaint to the Tax Practitioners Board in accordance with their complaints process described here https://www.tpb.gov.au/complaints. 

23. Third Party Responsibilities

We may utilise outsourced service providers and cloud computing service providers, including:

• XERO with servers hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in various locations as our platform for invoicing, accessing your Xero ledger/tax file, workflow management and also storing client information
• ANNATURE with servers hosted by AWS in Australia as our digital signing tool
• FYI SOFTWARE with servers hosted by AWS in Australia as our document management tool
• BGL CORPORATE SOLUTIONS with servers in by AWS in various locations as our company compliance and self managed super fund (SMSF) software
• MICROSOFT with servers in Australia as our file hosting service and email provider
• CRADLE with servers in various locations as telephone provider
• CLICKSEND with servers in various locations as sms provider
• ACCURIUM located in Hobart, as SMSF actuary provider
• WEST MORE KINGSLEY ACCOUNTING located in Kingsley as SMSF audit provider
• NTAA CORPORATE in Melbourne as legal document provider
• ACCESS GROUP with servers in Sydney as legacy tax software provider
• MYOB with servers hosted by AWS as bookkeeping software
• QUICKBOOKS with servers hosted by AWS as bookkeeping software
• JOTFORM with servers hosted by AWS and Google Cloud (USA) as electronic form provider
• DROPBOX with servers in USA, Germany, Australia & Japan as electronic storage provider
• LAW DEPOT as legal document provider
• CLEARDOCS with servers hosted globally as legal document provider
• and other third parties from time to time and as separately notified to you

To perform the services, we may provide these third parties with access to your data to the extent reasonably required.

Your data will be stored in servers physically located in Australia (unless otherwise specified) and in accordance with the security practices of the third-party service provider and our Privacy Policy.

24. Consumer Data Rights

You may consent for an Accredited Data Recipient under the Consumer Data Right (CDR) to disclose your CDR data to us.  You may nominate us as your Trusted Adviser for this purpose.  As your Trusted Adviser, we will only access the data necessary to provide the services in this engagement letter.

25. Register of Tax Agents and BAS Agents available for you to search

The Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) maintains a public register with details of registered, suspended and deregistered tax agents and BAS agents. You can search the register using the practitioner’s name, registration number or registered business name. For Spencer Accountants, the relevant TPB registration number is 25495110.

We are obliged to advise clients of certain events which may influence your decision to engage us as your tax agent.  

There are no current issues that we are required to disclose to you.

We are also obliged to advise you whether there are any conditions attached to our registration.

There are no current conditions attached to our registration.

26. Your rights under Taxation Laws (including Tax Agent Services Act and the Tax Agent Services (Code of Professional Conduct) Determination)

General information about your rights and obligations under the taxation laws, including self-assessment, record keeping, substantiation, objection rights, safe harbour protection and the obligations of registered tax practitioners, is set out in the Tax Agent Services Act Update section of this document and in the TPB client information materials referred to there. You should retain this information for your records.

Please refer to the attached fact sheet published by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) summarising your obligations to the ATO and your tax practitioner, and your tax practitioner's obligations to you, the TPB and ATO.

The fact sheet is here.

An important feature of the taxation laws is safe harbour protection from certain penalties where you engage a registered tax agent and provide all relevant taxation information to enable accurate statements to be made to the ATO. To access any safe harbour protection that may be available, you must provide truthful, complete and accurate information by the time requested.

 

For full details visit Motor Vehicle and Car Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Travel you can't claim

• You can not claim travel for use of vehicles under salary sacrifice/novated lease arrangements
• You can't generally claim travel between home and work

Travel you can claim

You can claim a tax deduction for the cost of transport on trips to:

• Perform your work duties – for example, if you travel from your regular place of work to meet with a client
• Attend work-related conferences or meetings away from your regular place of work
• Deliver items or collect supplies
• Go between 2 or more separate places of employment, such as if you have more than one job (but not if one of the places is your home)
• Go from your  
  • Regular place of work to an alternative place of work that isn't a regular place of work (for example, a client's premises) while still on duty, and back to your regular place of work or directly home
  • Home to an alternative place of work that isn't a regular place of work to perform your duties, and then to your regular place of work or directly home (this doesn't apply if the alternative place of work has become a regular workplace)

Transporting bulky tools and equipment

You can claim a deduction for the cost of trips between home and work if you need to carry bulky tools or equipment and all the following conditions are met:    

• The tools or equipment are essential to perform your work
• The tools or equipment are bulky, meaning that      
  • They are awkward to transport because of their size and weight (such as a ladder)
  • They can only be transported conveniently using a motor vehicle
  • There is no secure storage for such items at the workplace
  • You don't transport the tools or equipment as a matter of choice (for example, if your employer provides secure storage and you choose to take the tools home instead)

If you claim a deduction for carrying tools, you will need to keep a record of:

• All work items you carry
• The size and weight of all work items
• Evidence that the items you carry are essential to your work
• Evidence that your employer did not provide secure storage at the workplace
• Have confirmation from your employer this is required (we recommend in writing)

 

For full details visit Work-related Travel Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Work-related travel expenses are deductible if incurred while performing employment duties, personally paid without reimbursement, and apportioned for any private use.

Deductible items may include:

• Public transport
• Taxis/rideshares
• Airfares/trains/buses
• Tolls/parking
• Overnight accommodation/meals/incidentals (if away from home overnight for work)
• Specific employer vehicle costs like tolls for work trips

Non-Deductible Travel

• Normal daily home-to-work commutes are never deductible, even if far or tiring.
• Same-day meals, incidentals, or accommodation (e.g., sleeping near work due to shifts or preference) do not qualify.
• Car expenses like registration/fuel/repairs are not reported in this section. They are reported under Work‑related car expenses.
• Private travel portions, reimbursed costs, or award transport payments under pre-1986 rules are excluded.

Claim Conditions

• Expenses must relate directly to work performance, not just between workplaces or with minor detours.
• For overnight claims, the stay must be required for work duties, away from home, and not elective.
• Travel allowances under reasonable limits (TD 2024/3) allow deduction without full receipts if records support it.

For full details visit Clothing, Laundry and Dry-cleaning Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Work-related clothing, laundry, and dry-cleaning expenses are deductible if they meet strict ATO criteria for protective, occupation-specific, or distinctive uniform items, provided you paid them yourself without reimbursement.

Eligible Clothing

You can claim protective clothing and footwear that guards against work risks like injury or damage to ordinary clothes such as

• Hi-Vis Wear (pants/shirts with reflective strip and safety overalls)
• Safety boots (steel-capped boots, specific non-slip shoes)
• Safety goggles/glasses, protective sunglasses (includes prescription sunglasses, photochromatic and anti-glare glasses)
• Fire-resistant gear
• Specific uniform expense (chef’s apron)
• Hardhats & helmets, earplugs, gloves

Deductions also apply to

• Occupation-specific clothing (e.g., chef's chequered pants)
• Compulsory uniforms with logos under enforced policy
• Non-compulsory uniforms registered on the ATO's Approved Occupational Clothing list

Laundry and Dry-Cleaning

• Laundry costs up to $150 total require no written evidence if you have records of washes (e.g., diary)
• Laundry costs over $150 needs receipts

The rate is generally $1 per load for work items or actual costs with proof.

Non-Deductible Items
Conventional clothing like jeans, business suits, black pants for waiters, or drill shirts, even if compulsory or work-only is excluded, as it's suitable for everyday wear. No claims if your employer provides, reimburses, or cleans the items.

For full details visit Work‑related Self‑education Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Work-related self-education expenses are deductible if they maintain or improve skills for your current job or are likely to increase your income from it, and you paid them yourself without reimbursement.

Eligible Expenses
You can claim:

• Course fees (including FEE-HELP/VET Student Loans)
• Textbooks
• Stationery, student union fees
• Internet/data (not connection fees)
• Trade journals
• Decline in value of computers/desks (apportioned for private use)
• Travel between home/workplace and education site
• Overnight accommodation/meals qualify only if away from home for the course
• Borrowing interest

Non-Eligible Cases
Expenses fail if

• Unrelated to current employment (e.g., general skills, new job pursuit, or pre-employment study)
• You're unemployed
• On certain government allowances

For full details visit Car and Other Transport Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Self-education transport expenses are deductible if linked to current employment income, covering specific travel legs between home, work, and education.

Fully Deductible Trips
Claim both directions for round trips: home ↔ education, or work ↔ education.

Partially Deductible Trips
For one-way chains like home → education → work, or work → education → home, deduct only the first leg; the second leg (to work/home) is private.

Additional Claims
Parking fees at the education venue or course site are fully deductible.

For full details visit Other Work‑related Expenses on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Other work-related expenses are deductible if incurred as an employee to earn assessable income, not claimed elsewhere, personally paid without reimbursement, and only for the work portion.

Eligible Expenses
You can claim:

• Reference books
• Technical journals
• Trade magazines
• Work-related tools/equipment (immediate deduction if less than $300; decline in value (depreciation) if more than $300)
• Professional libraries
• Phone/internet usage (excluding fixed-rate WFH)
• Phone rental for on-call needs
• Home running costs (if not using fixed-rate WFH)
• Borrowing interest/repairs for tools

Non-Eligible Expenses

• Private costs (childcare, social clubs),
• Entertainment
• Fines,
• Coffee/tea/household items,
• Children's education items (e.g., iPads),
• Employer-provided/reimbursed items exempt from FBT (laptops, phones, software), and occupancy expenses (rent, rates, mortgage interest) 

Record Requirements

Total work expenses

• Less than or equal to $300 need calculation records
• Expenses greater ot equal to $300 requires written evidence like receipts and must be retain for 5 years.

 

For full details visit Interest, Dividend and Other Investment Income Deductions on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Interest, dividend, and other investment income deductions are claimable for expenses directly linked to earning assessable income from investments like shares or interest-bearing accounts, apportioned for any private use.

Eligible Deductions
For interest income, claim borrowing costs to produce interest, such as loan interest on deposits or managed funds (excluding exempt income).

For dividends, deduct:

• Interest on money borrowed for shares
• Management/advice fees for investment changes
• Specialist journals/subscriptions
• AGM travel
• Internet access
• Computer decline in value (apportioned)
• 50% of listed investment company (LIC) capital gains in dividends

Non-Deductible Items

• Brokerage fees (add to cost base for CGT)
• Capital-protected borrowing interest (treated as protection cost)
• Advice on new structures without income link
• Exempt dividends
• ATO charges (GIC/SIC) post-1 July 2025 are non-deductible

Claim Rules
Must have records (receipts, loan statements) and must show purpose of loan directly related to investment.

For full details visit Gifts or Donations on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Gifts and donations are tax-deductible if made voluntarily to an approved Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) organisation without receiving material benefits in return, with a minimum value of $2 for money gifts.

Eligible Donations

• Cash donations $2+ (including workplace giving, bucket collections up to $10 without receipt)
• $2+ to registered political parties or independent parliamentary candidates.

Token items like lapel pin, wristbands and stickers do not disqualify the deduction.

Non-Eligible Items

• Gifts with material benefits (e.g., raffle tickets, dinners unless special fundraiser rules apply)
• Salary-sacrificed donations, crowdfunding unless DGR-endorsed
• Amounts under $2

Verify DGR status via ABN Lookup.

Record Keeping and Claiming
Retain receipts showing DGR name, ABN, amount, date, and deductibility statement (or bank statements for cash).

 

For full details visit Cost of Managing Tax Affairs on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Costs of managing tax affairs are deductible if you incurred them to prepare and lodge your return, obtain tax advice, or handle ATO dealings, provided they relate directly to your personal tax obligations.

Eligible Expenses
You can claim fees for

• Registered tax agents
• Recognised tax advisers (tax agents, BAS agents, legal practitioners)
• Tax courses/reference materials
• Tax software (apportioned for non-tax use)
• Travel to advisers
• Valuations for deductible property donations or conservation covenants
• Litigation costs (court/ART fees, legal fees)
• Certain pre-1 July 2025 ATO interest charges or pre-1 Jan 2025 debit card fees for tax payments

Non-Deductible Items

• Penalties/shortfall interest
• Non-recognised adviser fees
• General financial advice unrelated to tax
• Judgment debt interest from tax court cases cannot be claimed

How to Claim
Retain receipts/statements for 5 years.

For full details visit Personal Superannuation Contributions on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Personal super contributions boost retirement savings and may be tax-deductible if made from after-tax income to a complying super fund or RSA, subject to age, work test, notice of intent, and cap rules.

Eligibility Rules
Contributions qualify if: 

• Received by the fund before 30 June
• Provide a valid notice of intent acknowledged by the fund before lodging your return (or 30 June)
• Aren't excluded types like employer super or salary sacrifice
• You meet work tests for ages over 67 and under 75 (those turning 75 have a 28-day post-birthday window)

Caps and Limits
Deductible personal contributions count toward the concessional cap (including employer contributions; carry-forward unused amounts possible)

Non-deductible contributions count toward the non-concessional cap and aren't available where you super balance is over the general transfer balance cap.

Claim Process

• Lodge notice of intent with superannuation fund.
• Provide confirmation and acknowledgement recieved from supernnuation fund.
• Amount can't create a loss.
• Retain records 5 years.

For full details visit Income Protection Insurance on the ATO Website.

A brief summary is included below:

Income protection insurance premiums are tax-deductible if you pay them personally (from after-tax income) for a policy that replaces your employment or business income in case of illness or injury.

Eligible Premiums
You can claim premiums for standalone policies or the income protection portion of bundled policies (e.g., with life/TPD), provided benefits are taxable income replacement, not lump sums; self-employed individuals qualify fully.

Non-Deductible Cases
Premiums are not claimable if paid via super (fund deducts at 15%), salary sacrifice, employer-paid, or for non-income policies like trauma/critical illness/TPD; apportion bundled amounts using insurer statements.

Claim Process
Obtain annual income protection premium policy letter from provider.

Retain records for 5 year.