The ATO is set to launch a publicity campaign to help alert taxpayers on the changes to the Work from Home expense deductions.
Draft guidance was distributed in November to the wider tax industry, and let's just say, we weren't entirely happy with the proposed changes.
The underlying issue is that the administrative burden placed on our clients to claim actual costs is so great that there will be no choice to opt for the fixed rate method, which has now decreased from 80c per hour, to 67 c per hour.
For many of our clients whose employment retained the work from home element after Covid, using the fixed rate as opposed to the actual costs incurred will see them into a position of a lower deduction.
Submissions were made by our industry voicing our displeasure, and the ATO have listened and made revision's.
The ATO guidance will no doubt be helpful, but as the changes have already come into effect and apply from 01 July 2022, we really need to start looking at record keeping requirements now, rather than try to reverse engineer the deduction at tax time only to find that it is an impossible task and have no alternative than to claim the fixed rate method.
So what can you do?
Visit the ATO's website and read over the blow publications.
Keep an eye out for the ATO's publicity campaign aimed at educating taxpayers
Call us if you have any questions on your particular circumstances.
