What can Teachers claim on tax?
Alright everyone, face the front and pay attention, because it’s time to teach you about tax deductions for a teacher’s Tax Return.
Here is some tax deductible expense homework you should read on top of this checklist. Don’t leave any of your expenses behind (trust us, you really want to include everything). If you save every little bit, and deduct everything you’re entitled to, the return can be massive. What are the details though, and what are you taxed against?
What qualifies your tax deduction?
There are three main requirements that qualify as an expense for tax deductions (it’s that easy), which is calculated against your income:
- You must have spent the money and not have been reimbursed
- It must be related to your job
- You must have a record to prove it
What constitutes an expense as “related” to your job you might ask?
Here’s a definition of your taxable income, and a list of teacher tax deductions.
What is your taxable income
Your taxable income is money generated from your employer or your work. Your taxable income also includes:
- PAYG summaries
- Pensions and government allowances
- Interest earned (banks etc)
- Dividends
- Rental property income
- Business income
- Other income earned (capital gains etc)
Tax deductible expenses for teachers
Teacher Specific
- Buying work/school uniforms (if required to wear them)
- The cost to laundry school clothes/uniforms
- Protective clothing items (if required)
- Purchase of equipment and tools for teachers (if required) up to $300 (stationary tax deduction)
- Depreciation expense of equipment and tools such as laptops over $300
- The repair and/or upkeep of teaching tools and equipment (if required)
- Home office expenses (if needed to work from home)
- Self-education and courses if they are related to your teaching
- Licences and certificates relating to your teaching
- Fees from joining a union/other similar organisations
- Subscriptions and magazines relating to your work
- Travel expenses if work related (conferences etc)
School uniforms/teachers clothes
You are only allowed to add your teaching clothing you buy or the laundry expense as a tax deduction if the clothing has your school/institution name or logo.
| CLOTHING AND LAUNDRY (INCLUDING FOOTWEAR) | ||
| ✅ TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ✅ Compulsory Uniform | |
| Example: | You can claim the cost to buy, hire, repair or clean a uniform if it is required by a workplace agreement or policy. | |
| ❌ NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ❌ Conventional Clothing | ❌ Reimbursed clothing |
| Example: | Every day clothing worn that does not have your workplace logo (including sports clothing or business attire) | If your employer pays for or reimburses you for the expenses to buy, hire, repair or clean your uniform |
If you are unsure if your work clothes adhere to this rule, head to One Click Life and talk to one of our tax pros – they’re happy to help!
Self Education for Teachers
As a teacher you are no doubt constantly looking to improve your own education in order to better help your students. But did you know that your self education that will benefit your work is tax deductible? Because it is!
| SELF-EDUCATION AND STUDY | ||
| ✅ TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ✅ Self-Education and study expenses | |
| Example: | Must relate directly to your employment as a teacher – either maintaining or improving your skills and knowledge, or results, or may result in an increase in income from your current job. | |
| ❌ NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ❌ General Study | |
| Example: | If your study is only related in a general way to your job or is designed to help you get a new job. |
Use the One Click Life platform to get a hand with claiming this as a tax deduction.
Travel Expenses
You can’t claim your train, parking tickets or fuel expense for your commute to and from work.
However, you can claim some expenses if you are moving between schools or students while at work because this is considered as a “work related” expense.
If you ever need to travel interstate or internationally for a work conference or to see students, you are also able to claim that as an expense. ATO teacher deductions make it easier to get around.
| CAR KMS | ||
| ✅ TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ✅ Driving directly between workplaces | ✅ Carrying Bulk Items |
| Example: | Driving from your regular school to another school to moderate exam results | Carrying bulky or heavy tools or equipment that are essential for your job that have no secure storage at the workplace |
| ❌ NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ❌ Driving between home and work | |
| Example: | Driving from home to parent-teacher interviews outside normal work hours |
Get one of our pros to help you claim your work related travel.
Working from Home
Working from a home office has become increasingly common in recent years, and with that comes the opportunity to claim a working from home tax deduction! The introduction of the fixed-rate method aims to make it easier for people to calculate home office tax deductions in their next tax return.
| WORKING FROM HOME | ||
| ✅ TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ✅ Fixed-Rate Method | |
| Example: | Fixed cost method of $0.70 per hour that you worked from home | |
| ❌ NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ❌ Private Expenses | ❌ Employer-provided & reimbursed items |
| Example: | You can’t claim coffee, tea, milk and other general household items. | You cannot claim items your employer pays for or reimburses, or items your employer provides (eg. laptop or phone) |
General Tax Deductions for Teachers
| OTHER EXPENSES | ||
| ✅ TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ✅ Work-related portion of expenses | |
| Example: | • Phone and internet costs, with records showing your work‑related use • Excursions, school trips and camps • First aid courses • Seminars and conferences • Teaching aids • Technical or professional publications | • Union and professional association fees • Personal protective equipment you buy, such as gloves, face masks, sanitiser or anti-bacterial spray, if your job required close proximity with students. |
| ❌ NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE: | ❌ Private Expenses | ❌ Medical Expenses |
| Example: | Gifts you purchased for students, paying for students’ personal expenses such as lunch, excursions, school books etc | Flu shots and other vaccinations (even if you’re required to have them for work |
For more information on general tax deductions, check out our blog: A Quick and Easy Guide to Tax Deductions in Australia
Maximising Your Tax Return With An Online Tax Agent
There will be more tax tips for teachers & tax deductions that aren’t on this list. Tax deductions are not only industry specific, but also change from individual to individual.
The best way to claim the most you can (which will maximise your money) is with One Click Life.
The more you deduct, the less tax you pay and the more money you can spend on yourself. Clearly, you will want to deduct the most you can, and the sure-fire way to do that is with OCL’s easy-to-use platform.
If you can claim OCL’s fees back on tax as a deduction too, why wouldn’t you use our platform to minimise your tax payable?
One Click Life offers online Tax Returns at your fingertips in an easy-to-use platform run by some of the best heads in the industry. Your Tax Return can be done in just 60 seconds and is overseen by one of our pros!
How easy and stress free is that?
Taxes, health insurance, and wills can be time-consuming and tedious. Our app allows you to be able to do this fuss-free, giving you a simple way to organise, track and manage all of your life admin in one place.
Let One Click Life take care of your Tax return, and life’s essential tasks so you can spend more time doing the things you love.