A spike is expected in people claiming working from home expenses at tax time due to the COVID-19 crisis.
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But don't get caught out.
Maven Advisors principal Tania Magon encouraged people to figure out whether the working from home short cut or the traditional arrangement would result in the better deduction for them.
"It [the short cut] has really put another option in that working from home claim area for people that might not have kept receipts or don't feel their phone or internet expenses are that high," she said.
"People that have always worked from home will be very aware of the costs they incur working from home."
The temporary working from home short cut method applies from March 1 to June 30.
The new arrangement allows people to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all their running expenses, rather than needing to calculate costs for specific running expenses.
Taxpayers need to keep a record of the hours they worked from home as evidence of their claim.
The short cut method can be used by multiple people working from home in the same house.
This shortcut arrangement does not stop people from making a working from home claim under the old approach instead.
A dedicated office space is required to claim under the traditional method.
Ms Magon said July 1 was a good time to get into the habit of keeping receipts, with the ATO app a handy tool to use.
She reminded people they could not claim for expenses they had already been reimbursed for.
Mike's Tax and Accounting owner Mike Nalder advised people to be careful as in some cases the new working from home shortcut may be less generous than the old method.
"Just don't assume that the easy way is the best way," Mr Nalder said.
He also urged people to be careful with car claims, given their work-related car use may have changed during the COVID-19 restrictions.
"I think there are quite a few traps that people can fall into," Mr Nalder said about this tax time.
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