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Archived — 2024–25 income year (FY2025)
This checklist applies to tax returns for the year ended 30 June 2025. If you're preparing your 2025–26 return, see the 2026 Tax Deduction Checklist.

2025 Tax Deduction Checklist (year ended 30 June 2025)

Everyone wants to pay less tax. This checklist is a practical guide to common “can I claim this?” questions for individual taxpayers — it’s about claiming what you’re entitled to (and avoiding what you can’t).

Admission fees

Not deductible
  • For lawyers and other professionals. Disallowed as this is a capital cost.

Airport lounge membership

Deductible
  • Deductible to the extent used for work-related purposes.

Annual practising certificate

Deductible
  • Applies to professional persons and other contractors who must pay an annual fee to practice in their chosen field.

Bank charges

Deductible
  • Allowed if the account mainly earns interest.
  • Not private transaction fees.

Briefcase

Deductible
  • If used for work and/or business purposes: fully deductible if $300 or less.
  • If more than $300, it must be depreciated.

Calculators and electronic organisers

Deductible
  • If used for work and/or business purposes: fully deductible if $300 or less.
  • If more than $300, it must be depreciated.

Childcare fees

Not deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Clothing, uniforms and footwear

Depends
  • Compulsory uniform: must be unique to an organisation (e.g. corporate uniform).
  • Non-compulsory uniform: deductible if on a register kept by the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism.
  • Occupation specific: identifies a trade, vocation or profession (e.g. chefs and nurses).
  • Protective: used to protect you or your conventional clothing (may include sunscreen).

Club membership fees

Not deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Coaching classes

Deductible
  • Allowed to performing artists to maintain existing skills or obtain related skills.

Computer and software

Deductible
  • Software is generally deductible if it costs less than $300, otherwise deductible over 2.5 years.

Conferences, seminars and courses

Deductible
  • Allowed if designed to maintain or increase an employee’s knowledge, skills or ability.

Conventional clothing

Not deductible
  • Unless deemed to be stage clothing for an arts performer.

Cryptocurrency software

Deductible
  • Deductible if used to manage or track crypto investments that generate assessable income.

Depreciation (tools, equipment, plant)

Deductible
  • Work-related tools, equipment and plant: items costing more than $300 are claimed over time.
  • Items costing $300 or less are generally deductible outright in the year of acquisition.

Driver’s licence

Not deductible
  • Cost of acquiring and renewing.

Dry cleaning

Deductible
  • Allowed if the cost of the clothing is also deductible.
  • See also ‘Laundry’.

Entertainment expenses

Not deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Fines

Not deductible
  • Imposed by a court or under law of a Commonwealth, State, Territory or foreign country (s26-5).

First aid course

Deductible
  • Provided it is directly related to employment or business activities.

Gaming licence

Deductible
  • Hospitality industry.

Gifts / donations of $2 or more

Depends
  • Deductible if made to an approved ‘deductible gift recipient’ body or fund (see ato.gov.au for the list).
  • Gifts to clients can be deductible if employees can demonstrate a direct connection with earning assessable income.
  • Crowdfunding or GoFundMe: not a deductible gift recipient.

Glasses and contact lenses (prescribed)

Not deductible
  • These would qualify as medical expenses (which themselves are being phased out).
  • Deductible only if they qualify as ‘protective clothing’.

Glasses and goggles

Deductible
  • Protective only.

Grooming

Not deductible
  • Unless employed as aircraft cabin crew or a performing artist (limits apply).

HELP / HECS repayments

Not deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Home office expenses

Depends
  • You may be able to claim costs incurred in running your home office if you perform some work from home.
  • Running expenses: e.g. electricity, gas, and depreciation of office furniture (desk, chairs, cabinets, shelves, professional library).
  • Occupancy expenses: e.g. rent, insurance, rates and land tax — only deductible where part of the home is used as a place of business and has business characteristics.
  • Fixed rate method: you can use the fixed rate method (70c/hour) for running expenses if you keep a record of hours worked from home.

Income protection insurance

Deductible
  • Allowed only if the proceeds upon a claim are assessable.

Insurance – sickness or accident

Deductible
  • Allowed only if the proceeds upon a claim are assessable.

Interest

Deductible
  • Allowed if money is borrowed for work-related purposes or to finance income-earning assets.
  • Interest on underpayment of tax (e.g. General interest charge) is deductible.
  • Fines and administrative penalties are not deductible.
  • Interest on capital protection loans is deductible, except for a non-deductible capital protection component.

Internet and computer equipment

Deductible
  • Allowed to the extent incurred in deriving work-related income, carrying on a business, or earning investment income (e.g. share investing).

Laundry and maintenance

Deductible
  • Allowed if the underlying clothing is deductible (see ‘Clothing, uniforms and footwear’).
  • Reasonable claims of up to $150 do not need to be substantiated.

Legal expenses

Deductible
  • Renewal of an existing employment contract.

Meals

Depends
  • Eaten during normal working day: deductible.
  • Meals acquired when travelling overnight for work-related purpose: deductible.
  • Meals when travelling (not overnight): not deductible.
  • Overtime meals: not deductible unless an allowance is received under an award.

Medical examination

Deductible
  • Only if from referral for a work-related business licence and shown on your payment summary.
  • Not to obtain a job (capital in nature).

Newspapers

Not deductible
  • Claims may be allowed in limited cases if the publication is directly related to income-producing activities.

Overtime meal expenses

Deductible
  • Only if award overtime meal allowance received.

Parking fees and tolls

Deductible
  • Includes bridge and road tolls (but not fines) paid while travelling for work-related purposes.

Photographs (performing arts)

Depends
  • Cost of maintaining portfolio: deductible.
  • Cost of preparing portfolio: not deductible.

Practising certificate (employees)

Deductible
  • Applies to professional employees.

Prepaid expenses

Deductible
  • Non-business individuals and Small Business Entity (SBE) taxpayers: fully deductible if services are to be performed within 12 months.
  • All other taxpayers must apportion over the period of service.

Professional library (books, CDs, videos etc.)

Depends
  • Established library: depreciation allowed.
  • New books: full claim if cost $300 or less (includes a set if total cost is $300 or less).
  • New books: depreciate if cost over $300 (includes a set if total cost is more than $300).

Professional association fees

Deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Protective equipment

Deductible
  • Includes harnesses, goggles, safety glasses, breathing masks, helmets and boots.
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and wet weather gear can be allowed where used for protection from the natural environment.

Removal and relocation costs

Not deductible
  • If paid by the employer, may be exempt from FBT, but not deductible.

Repairs

Deductible
  • To income-producing property and/or work-related equipment.

Social functions

Not deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Seminars

Deductible
  • Including conferences and training courses if sufficiently connected to work activities.

Self-education costs

Deductible
  • Fees, books, travel and equipment are deductible only where there is a direct connection between the course and the person’s income-earning activities.

Stationery

Deductible
  • Diaries, logbooks, pens, paper etc.

Subscriptions

Depends
  • Publications: deductible if directly connected to income earned by the taxpayer.
  • Professional associations: maximum of $42 if no longer gaining assessable income from that profession.
  • Sports club: not deductible.

Sun protection

Deductible
  • Sunglasses, hats and sunscreen may be deductible for taxpayers who work outside.

Superannuation contributions

Depends
  • Employer contributions for employees of your business: deductible.
  • Personal deductible contributions: requires acknowledgement from your super fund that you have lodged a Notice of Intent to claim.
  • No deduction is available for interest on borrowed monies used to finance deductible personal super contributions.

Tax agent fees

Deductible
  • Deductible in the income year the expense is incurred.
  • Includes travel/accommodation to a recognised tax adviser for advice, returns, audits or objections; and incidentals for lodging objections/appeals or defending an audit.

Technical and professional publications

Deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Telephones and other telecommunications equipment

Depends
  • Mobiles/pagers/beepers: deductible where related to work use; calls related to work purposes.
  • Installation/connection: depreciable if dedicated to earning business income.
  • Rental charges: deductible if ‘on call’ or required to use on a regular basis.
  • Silent telephone number: not deductible.

Tools

Deductible
  • Work-related only: fully deductible if $300 or less.
  • If more than $300, claim is via depreciation (decline in value).

Trauma insurance

Not deductible
  • If benefits are capital in nature.

Travel expenses

Depends
  • Travel between home and work is generally not deductible.
  • Deductible if carrying bulky tools relative to travel mode (no secure storage at work).
  • Deductible if home is a base of employment (very limited circumstances).
  • Deductible if travelling between two jobs.

Union fees

Deductible

No additional notes provided in the checklist.

Vaccinations

Not deductible
  • Unless necessary for travel to specific overseas destinations for work.

Watches

Not deductible
  • Unless the watch has special characteristics for work (e.g. nurses).
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