The 2025–26 financial year ended on 30 June. A little preparation can make your return faster to complete, easier to support and less likely to need follow-up.
Three basic tests for deductions
For most work-related deductions, you need to have spent the money yourself without reimbursement, the expense must directly relate to earning your income, and you need a record to support the claim.
Working from home
The fixed-rate method for 2025–26 is 70 cents for each hour worked from home. The rate covers specified energy, internet, phone, stationery and computer-consumable costs. You still need a record of the actual hours worked from home across the year and evidence that you incurred the covered expenses.
Car expenses
For 2025–26, the cents-per-kilometre method uses 88 cents per eligible business kilometre, up to 5,000 business kilometres per car. You need a reasonable basis for the distance claimed. The rate already covers eligible running costs, so those costs cannot also be claimed separately under the same method.
What to gather
- Income statements and any other income records
- Bank interest, dividend, managed-fund and crypto records
- Rental-property income and expense records
- Work-related expense receipts and travel records
- Donation receipts and tax-agent fee records
- Private health insurance and government-payment details where relevant
Pre-filled information is helpful, but it should still be checked against your own records before lodging.