Taxpayer Wins Case for Home Office and Car Deductions during COVID

A taxpayer successfully claimed home office and car expenses due to COVID-19 work changes, with the ART ruling in their favour. Learn what this means for similar deductions.
Protect your business with the PPSR

Protect your business assets with the PPSR. Learn how to secure goods, claim GST credits and reduce financial risk when selling, leasing or consigning property.
July 2025 changes and deadlines

Stay on top of key employer obligations for 2025–26, including PAYG, STP, SG payments and updated car depreciation and tax thresholds.
FBT record keeping and plug-in hybrid exemption changes

With the 2025 fringe benefits tax (‘FBT’) year having just ended (on 31 March), the ATO is reminding employers of some changes that might impact their FBT obligations.
AAT rejects taxpayer’s claims for work-related expenses
Work-Related Deductions Denied AAT Rejects Taxpayer’s Expense Claims Lack of evidence and use of company vehicles led the AAT to disallow nearly $10,000 in work-related deductions for a traffic controller. In a recent decision, a taxpayer’s claims for various work-related expenses were rejected by the AAT. The taxpayer was employed as a traffic controller in […]
FBT on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
Changes to FBT Exemptions for Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles Starting April 2025 Employers must have binding agreements in place to retain FBT exemptions for PHEVs, with new restrictions on eligibility for electric car exemptions. From 1 April 2025, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (‘PHEV’) will not be considered a zero or low emissions vehicle under fringe […]
Taxpayers can start lodging their tax returns
Streamlined Tax Lodgment: ATO Pre-Filled Data Simplifies the Process Ensure Accurate Deduction Claims and Stay Informed of Changing Rules With millions of pieces of information now pre-filled (including information from most banks, employers, government agencies and private health insurers), the ATO is giving taxpayers with simple affairs the ‘green light’ to lodge their tax returns. […]
Luxury car tax: determining a vehicle’s principal purpose
ATO Guidance on Determining the Principal Purpose of a Car for Luxury Car Tax (LCT) Insights into Assessing LCT Liability for Vehicles Used for Carriage of Goods versus Passengers The ATO recently explained how to determine the principal purpose of a car for ‘luxury car tax’ (‘LCT’) purposes (since LCT is not payable on the […]
Changes to deductions this tax time
Changes to deductions this tax time Taxpayers who are small business owners operating from home, or who use a vehicle for business purposes, need to be aware of some changes when claiming deductions this tax time, including the following. Cents-per-kilometre method – The cents-per-kilometre method for claiming car expenses increased from 72 cents to 78 […]
Fuel tax credit rate change 1 August
Use the correct fuel tax credit rates Rates changed on 1 July and 1 August — use the ATO’s calculator to apply the correct rates when making a claim on your BAS. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has made changes to the Fuel Tax Credit rates, impacting claiming credits for eligible fuel use. To benefit from Fuel […]