EOFY 2026 Tax
Deduction Checklist By Profession

Velofy Tax Desk · Verified 2025–26 · Published 15 June 2026

EOFY closes on 30 June 2026. Pick your profession below and get the personalised checklist of items to gather receipts for — plus exactly what to bring to your tax agent.

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Days to EOFY 2026
15
Most actionable EOFY moves need lead time. Tools under $300 + DGR donations + WFH diary close-outs are the realistic 30 June moves.
Avg missed: $1,322 WFH 8 common items 6 professions

Step 1 · Pick your profession

Clicking a pill highlights the matching profession-specific section below and saves your choice for next visit. All sections stay visible — Google indexes the full page, you only see your section emphasised.

Multiple jobs? Run through the page once per role. The 8 common deductions apply across all PAYG employment in Australia.

Step 2 · 8 common deductions for all PAYG employees

Every PAYG employee in Australia is potentially eligible for some subset of these eight items. Tick each one that applied to you in 2025–26. Items 1–6 cover the bulk of missed claims; items 7–8 are the under-the-radar ones.

1
Work-from-home hours diary

The ATO 70¢/hr fixed-rate method covers electricity, gas, internet, phone, stationery and computer consumables. The 70¢ rate is set for 2025–26 (was 67¢ in earlier years).

Bring to your tax agent: Total work-from-home hours for 2025–26 plus your contemporaneous diary or timesheet. At 16 hrs/wk × 48 weeks = 768 hrs × 70¢ ≈ $537/year. End-of-year estimates without a diary will be rejected.
2
Union and professional association fees

Fees paid to your union, industry body, or professional association where membership relates to your current employment.

Bring to your tax agent: Annual statement from your union, AHPRA, AITSL, CPA, MFAA, or other body. Confirm the membership year covers 2025–26.
3
Self-education and CPD costs

Work-related courses, CPD requirements, conference fees, online subscriptions, textbooks. The course must maintain or improve skills for your CURRENT role — not open a new career.

Bring to your tax agent: Course invoices, conference registrations, travel and accommodation receipts for interstate events, textbooks, online subscription invoices.
4
Donations to DGRs

Donations of $2 or more to Deductible Gift Recipients are claimable at your marginal rate. Verify each charity at abr.business.gov.au.

Bring to your tax agent: Receipts from each charity. Bulk-donation platforms (GiveNow, Raisely) issue annual statements.
5
Vehicle log book (work travel only — not commute)

Cents-per-km method: up to 5,000 km × 88¢/km = $4,400 max, no log book needed. Log book method: 12-week diary recording every trip, gives % work-use of total km — can claim higher amounts.

Bring to your tax agent: Total work km estimate (not home-to-work commute). If using log book, the diary plus running cost receipts (fuel, rego, insurance, depreciation, services).
6
Tools and equipment under $300 each

Items under $300 used wholly for work are immediately deductible in the year of purchase. Items over $300 must be depreciated under Division 40.

Bring to your tax agent: Receipts with purchase dates. Note the work-use % if the item is also used personally (e.g. a $250 monitor used 70% for work = $175 claim).
7
Voluntary personal super contributions (deductible)

Personal contributions you intend to claim as a tax deduction. You must lodge a s290-170 Notice of Intent with your fund BEFORE you lodge your tax return. Counts toward the $30,000 concessional cap.

Bring to your tax agent: Super fund statement showing your contribution. Confirmation that the s290-170 notice was lodged with and acknowledged by the fund.
8
Income protection insurance premiums

Premiums for income protection cover held OUTSIDE super are deductible. Premiums for life cover, trauma cover, or TPD are NOT deductible.

Bring to your tax agent: Annual premium statement. Verify the policy type is income protection only — bundled policies need to apportion the premium.

Step 3 · Profession-specific deductions

On top of the 8 common items, each profession has its own bracket of work-specific deductions the ATO recognises. The list below covers six of the most common Australian profession groups — your picked profession is highlighted.

General PAYG employee

  • Compulsory uniform with registered logo
    Bring: Receipts plus your employer's uniform policy or logo registration if requested.
  • Laundry of compulsory uniforms
    Bring: $1/load (mixed) or $0.50/load (uniforms only), up to $150/year no receipts.
  • Sun protection (if outdoor portion of role)
    Bring: Receipts for sunscreen, hats, sunglasses (must be primarily for sun protection during work).
  • First-aid course (where required by role)
    Bring: Course invoice plus your employer's requirement letter or job description excerpt.
  • Last year's tax agent fee
    Bring: Invoice from your tax agent for preparing your 2024–25 return.

Nurse / Healthcare

  • AHPRA registration
    Bring: AHPRA annual registration receipt for 2025–26.
  • Indemnity insurance (private cover)
    Bring: Premium statement from ANMF, AMA, or your personal insurer.
  • Compression stockings (ward duty)
    Bring: Receipts. Must be specifically for clinical duty, not general wear.
  • Clinical-specific equipment
    Bring: Receipts for stethoscope, BP cuff, fobs, lanyards purchased for work use.
  • Specialist scrubs and clinical wear
    Bring: Receipts for hospital-issued or specifically-required scrubs. Not for "looks like scrubs" street clothing.
  • CPD, conferences, professional journals
    Bring: Course/conference invoices, ANJ or speciality journal subscriptions, registration with college bodies.

Teacher / Educator

  • Teacher registration (AITSL / VIT / QCT / NSW TRB / TRBSA)
    Bring: Registration renewal invoice. Mandatory for classroom roles.
  • Classroom supplies under $300
    Bring: Receipts: markers, posters, books, decor, manipulatives. Items used wholly in the classroom are 100% claimable.
  • Excursion costs (unreimbursed)
    Bring: Out-of-pocket camp/excursion costs that were not reimbursed by the school.
  • Teaching journals and prep subscriptions
    Bring: Teacher magazine, Reading Australia, Twinkl, Education Perfect, classroom platform subscriptions.
  • Working with Children Check renewal
    Bring: Renewal invoice (state-issued).
  • CPD courses and conferences
    Bring: Professional development course invoices, conference registrations, related travel where required.

Tradesperson

  • Trade licence and renewal
    Bring: Licence renewal invoice plus any compulsory state-issued cards (white card, blue card, electrical/plumbing licence).
  • Tools — under $300 each (immediate)
    Bring: Receipts. Each tool claimed separately; items combined as a "set" use the per-item price.
  • Tools — over $300 each (depreciation)
    Bring: Receipts plus expected effective life — typically 3–10 years per ATO table. Your accountant will set up the depreciation schedule.
  • PPE: boots, hi-vis, hard hat, glasses
    Bring: Receipts. Must be protective (compliance-grade), not general workwear.
  • Sun protection (outdoor work)
    Bring: Receipts for sunscreen, broad-brim hats, UV sleeves. Must be primarily for sun protection on outdoor jobs.
  • Industry magazines and online safety courses
    Bring: Subscription invoices, white-card / safety renewal course invoices.

IT / Tech professional

  • Software subscriptions (work-use)
    Bring: Receipts for JetBrains, Adobe, Figma, GitHub, AWS or cloud accounts used for your job. Apportion work-use % if also personal.
  • Home internet portion (work-use %)
    Bring: Annual bill plus realistic work-use % (e.g. 30–60% for WFH heavy roles).
  • Technical books and certifications
    Bring: Receipts for O'Reilly, Manning, certification exam fees (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, CISSP, CompTIA).
  • Conferences (in-person and virtual)
    Bring: Conference registration receipts plus travel/accommodation if interstate.
  • Home office equipment under $300
    Bring: Receipts for mechanical keyboard, second monitor, monitor arm, headphones — only if work-use is primary.

Work-from-home heavy

  • Contemporaneous WFH hours diary
    Bring: Week-by-week or month-by-month diary recording every hour worked from home. End-of-year estimates are rejected by the ATO from 2026.
  • Office furniture under $300 (immediate)
    Bring: Receipts for ergonomic chair, monitor stand, desk lamp, monitor arm — each item under $300 is fully claimable.
  • Office furniture over $300 (depreciation)
    Bring: Receipts plus effective life — ergonomic chair (10 yrs), desk (10 yrs), monitor (4 yrs). Your accountant sets up Division 40 depreciation.
  • Actual-cost method (alternative to 70¢ fixed)
    Bring: Electricity, gas, internet, phone bills plus area-of-home calculation (your home office sq m / total home sq m). Only use if you can substantiate every figure.
  • Work phone portion
    Bring: Monthly phone bill plus a 4-week call/data log showing work-use %. Apply that % across the year.

Step 4 · Show your tax agent the checklist

Print this page or save it as PDF, then take it to your tax agent (or upload to your accounting platform). Tax agents see hundreds of returns each season — handing them a structured checklist beats trying to remember each item under questioning.

Estimate $ value of these deductions
⚠️ Substantiation: The ATO can audit your return for up to 5 years. Keep original receipts, annual statements, and bank records on file. For claims over $300, no receipt = no claim. For work-from-home, no contemporaneous diary = no claim. End-of-year reconstructions are no longer accepted from 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most-missed Australian tax deduction in 2026?
ATO data and tax-agent surveys consistently rank work-from-home as the most under-claimed deduction. The 2026 average WFH claim missed: about $1,322 per year. The fix is a contemporaneous hours diary (NOT an end-of-year estimate) at the ATO 70¢/hr fixed rate. At 16 hrs/wk over 48 weeks, that is roughly $537 — most PAYG employees who WFH any portion of the week leave this on the table by failing to keep the diary.
Can I claim work-from-home deductions without keeping a diary in 2026?
No. From the 2025–26 financial year onwards, the ATO requires a contemporaneous record of every hour worked from home. End-of-year estimates ("I work from home most Tuesdays") are no longer accepted. The diary can be a simple spreadsheet, a calendar app, or even handwritten — but it must be created at the time you work, not reconstructed afterwards. The 70¢/hr fixed-rate method covers electricity, gas, internet, phone, stationery, and computer consumables.
When is the EOFY deadline for tax deductions in Australia?
The Australian financial year ends at midnight on 30 June 2026. Any deductible expense must be PAID by 30 June 2026 to count for the 2025–26 return — the date you incurred the expense, not the date you submit it for reimbursement. Personal deductible super contributions need to arrive in your fund's account by 30 June, which typically means lodging the contribution by Wednesday 25 June at most major funds to allow BPAY processing time. Once 30 June passes, the only EOFY deductions you can still capture are ones you already paid.
How much can I claim for work tools and equipment in 2026?
Items under $300 each are immediately deductible in the year of purchase. A $250 monitor or a $180 ergonomic chair component is fully claimable on your 2025–26 return. Items over $300 each must be depreciated under Division 40 — typically over 3 years for electronics, 10 years for furniture. The $300 threshold applies per item, not in total: you can claim 10 different $250 items in the same year, but a single $600 chair must be depreciated.
Do I need receipts for every deduction I claim?
Substantiation rules differ by claim type. Work-related expenses under $300 in total: written record acceptable but receipts recommended. Laundry of compulsory uniforms: up to $150/year without receipts at $1/load (mixed) or 50¢/load (uniforms only). Vehicle: cents-per-km method up to 5,000 km without log book; over that, full log book diary required. Anything else over $300: original receipts (paper or digital), invoices, or annual statements. The ATO can audit returns for up to 5 years — keep records for that long.

Estimate the dollar value of your EOFY deductions

The checklist tells you what to claim. The Velofy Tax Calculator tells you what those claims are worth at your marginal tax rate (Stage 3 brackets 16/30/37/45), including the Medicare Levy.

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