Teachers

As many of our clients are Teachers, Gotsis Rubic & Barbariol understand the range of work-related expenses that are often incurred by people working in the Education Industry. The extent to which they are allowable deductions is outlined below. Please note that you can only claim an expense if it is actually incurred. If it is an expense incurred partly for work and partly for private purposes, only the work related amount is an allowable deduction.

Following is a list of common work-related expenses and the subsequent deductions that are allowable:

  • Association Fees, Education & Publications
  • A deduction is allowable for annual Union or professional association fees, however, this does not include joining fees
  • The cost of attending relevant conferences, seminars and training courses is an allowable deduction
  • First aid courses if the teacher is the first aid person who must undertake training to assist in emergency situations at work, and if the cost is not met by the employer
  • Running expenses of a private study is an allowable deduction if used for work undertaken at home
  • If there is a direct link between self education and your current income-earning activities as a teacher then you can claim self education costs such as fees, travel, books and equipment
  • A deduction is allowable for Financial Institutions Duty that relates to the direct depositing of salary and wages into the employee teacher’s bank account, as a work-related cost
  • Depreciation of a professional library for work-related use can be claimed as long as the reference material is directly connected to income-earning work
  • A deduction is allowable for the cost of buying or subscribing to journals, periodicals and magazines that have a content specifically related to your employment

Equipment

  • Telephone, answering machines, mobile phones, pagers, beepers and other telecommunications equipment if purchased by you and only for the work-related portion of the rental cost and for depreciation on the purchase price
  • Work-related call costs are an allowable deduction
  • Computers and software on the cost of computers and related software if used for work-related reasons and purchased together. For software purchased separately, the deduction is allowable in the year of purchase in full.
  • Calculators and electronic organisersfor the work-related portion of depreciation on the purchase price.
  • A deduction is allowable for depreciation for work-related use of the equipment. Any item of equipment bought on or after 1 July 1991 can be depreciated at a rate of 100% if its cost is $300 or less, or if its effective life is less than three years.