ATO doesn't want 'people missing out'

ATO assistant commissioner Graham Whyte stated that with a growing insistence on myTax services, the tax office has made a concerted effort to make deduction information readily available to taxpayers.

“We don’t want people missing out on claims they are rightfully entitled to,” Mr Whyte said.

Mr Whyte also spruiked the new myDeductions tool, available via the ATO app, which he claims will make it easier for taxpayers to keep records of work-related expenses as the year progresses.

The service will remove the need to rummage for receipts come tax time, Mr Whyte explained, with taxpayers able to immediately upload their expenses or share them with a tax agent.

“This means no more forgotten claims or lost receipts, and more money in your pocket after you submit your tax return,” he added.

AccountantsDaily has previously reported on the crackdown on work-related expenses undertaken by the ATO.

Mr Whyte reiterated the criteria that need to be satisfied when claiming a work-related expense.

“You must have spent the money yourself, it must be related to your job, and not a private expense, and in most cases you must have a record to prove it.”

He concluded: “If you keep that in mind, you can’t go wrong."