Media Professional

If you're a media professional, it pays to know what tax deductions you can claim at tax time. This information will help you to work out what:

income and allowances to report
you can and can't claim as a work-related deduction
records you need to keep.

Book an appointment at your nearest ITP tax agent.

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Deductions you can claim

Car Expenses

You can claim a deduction for the cost of using your car when you drive:

between separate jobs on the same day (eg from your job with a newspaper to your second job as a TV presenter)
to and from an alternate workplace for the same employer on the same day (eg between two TV studios).

You generally can’t claim the cost of trips between home and work, even if you live a long way from your usual workplace or have to work outside normal business hours – for example, weekend or early morning shifts.

You can’t claim a deduction when using a badged or unbadged vehicle provided by your employer, unless you covered the cost of fuel, were not reimbursed by your employer and the cost was a result of you performing your employment duties.

If you claim car expenses, you can use the logbook method or the cents per kilometre method. If you use the logbook method, you need to keep a logbook to determine the percentage of work-related use for your car. If you use the cents per kilometre method, you need to provide a calculation of your work-related kilometres and be able to demonstrate that those kilometres were work related.

Tools and Equipment Expenses

You can claim a deduction for the cost of tools and equipment you use for work, such as video camera and editing tools. If you use the tools and equipment for work-related purposes as well as private purposes you can only claim a deduction for your work-related use of the tools and equipment.

If a tool or item of work equipment cost:

more than $300 – you can claim a deduction for the cost over a number of years (decline in value)
$300 or less – you can claim an immediate deduction for the whole cost.

You can claim a deduction for the cost of repairing tools and equipment that you use for work. If the tools or equipment were also used for private purposes, you can’t claim a deduction for that part of the repair cost that relates to your private use of the tools and the equipment.

You can’t claim a deduction if the tools and equipment are supplied by your employer or another person.

Travel Expenses

You can claim a deduction for travel expenses if you are required to travel away from your home overnight to perform your work – for example, travelling interstate to conduct an interview. This could include meals, accommodation, fares and incidental expenses that you incurred and your employer has not provided or reimbursed you.

Receiving a travel allowance from your employer doesn’t mean you can automatically claim a deduction. You still need to show that you were away overnight, you spent the money yourself, and the travel was directly related to earning your employment income.

Clothing and Laundry Expenses

You can claim a deduction for the cost of buying, hiring, mending or cleaning certain uniforms that are unique and distinctive to your job, such as your work shirt with the company logo on it. You can also claim a deduction for protective clothing that your employer wants you to wear, such as a high vis vest.

You can’t claim a deduction for the cost of buying or cleaning plain clothing worn at work (eg standard jeans or a business suit), even if you only wear it to work and even if your employer tells you to wear it.

Meal Expenses

You can claim a deduction for the cost of a meal that you purchased and consumed during your overtime if your employer paid you an overtime meal allowance under an industrial law, award or agreement to undertake the
overtime.

You can’t claim a deduction for the cost of meals eaten during a normal working day as it is a private expense, even if you receive an allowance to cover the meal expense.