Working From Home Related Expenses

During the 2024 financial year, you may have been working from home. There are several expenses you can claim related to this event including:

· Electricity expenses for heating, cooling, and lighting

· Cleaning costs related to your workspace

· Phone and internet expenses

· Stationery and computer items such as ink, paper, etc.

· Home office equipment including computers, printers, monitors, keyboards, phones, furniture, and furnishings. You can either claim the full cost of the items up to $300 or a decline in the value for items more than $300.

You are unable to claim items such as:

· Mortgage interest, rent and rates

· The cost of consumables such as coffee, tea, milk, and other household items that your employer may usually have provided you at work

Calculating Working From Home (WFH) Expenses

You claim home office expenses using one of two methods:

1. Actual cost method: claim the actual work-related portion of all your operating expenses which are calculated on a reasonable basis. 

2. Shortcut and actual cost method – claim a rate of 67 cents for every hour worked which covers:

· Energy

· Computer consumables such as printer paper and printer cartridges

· Phone (including mobile phone) and internet expenses 

· Stationery 

In order to claim the Shortcut Method, you must keep a record of the number of hours you have worked from home such as timesheets, diary notes or rosters. You will also need to substantiate these expenses with a bill or receipt, for example a quarterly bill for electricity or one receipt for stationery.  

Contact us to assist you in choosing the best method for your situation and assistance with claiming work related deductions.