no, you can't.

Broadly you cannot claim any expenses on you getting to work or home again.

Maybe if your work required you to have your own car to be used during work time for work purposes and there where no other alternatives (ie: free parking) then maybe......

k thanks.. I was totally confused by the help files in ETax

wicked

i will be sweet as then

im a sparky and we have sites from as far north as caboolture to as far south as pacific pines

Humm.... wouldn't that still be classified as your "normal" travel to and from work site? I know it's different from us nerds in the office but still, that's just _you_ getting from home to work i.e. your primary work site and primary occupation requirement.

It's not like it's a special requirement part of your job. Unless you're a contractor (i.e. not on wages) and you normally work at a primary work site i.e. in an office somewhere but get call out to do a quote/work on client's site.

I could be wrong but...

Humm.... wouldn't that still be classified as your "normal" travel to and from work site? I know it's different from us nerds in the office but still, that's just _you_ getting from home to work i.e. your primary work site and primary occupation requirement.

Depends what he's defined as his home office. Wifey works for herself out of the house so any travel she does to her work places is .. work related travel. WIN!

It really is sad the lengths people will go to try and claim every single f***ing cent and justify it (even when it isn't claimable).

I am all for making sure you get what you deserve, but the amount of people who take it too far is ridiculous.

Haha I love owning a business sometimes.

A year or two ago I kept 3 months worth of log book on the car I use for work, and from then on everything (petrol, repairs, tyres, etc) is 100% claimed - including travel to and from work. In Cairns this only amounts to a couple grand a year but its all legit and open to scrutiny in an audit.

Much easier than trying to work out how many Ks I did in the year too :)

Ok, I have a business related question.

Let's say I earned $39000/6100K total/tax through my job wages and I earned a pitiful $345 out of iPhone sales through my ABN and my job/business complexity pretty much ends there.

Do I merely state the extra few hundred bucks in the Salary/etc screen?

Even with such a basic bit of extra cash, should I go to a tax agent?

Declare the income.......you no doubt had quite a number of expenses relating to the iPhone software development (internet access, power, computer hardware depreciation, etc etc). You will more than offset the tax you would owe on such a small amount of money and it will also start to reduce the tax you owe from your primary source of income ie larger refund.

You will more than offset the tax you would owe on such a small amount of money and it will also start to reduce the tax you owe from your primary source of income ie larger refund.

It's not as easy as that. You can only offset any losses against your PAYG income if you meet certain criteria. One of them being having a turnover of more than $20k and another being needing to have been in the black for 4 our of the last 5 years

confirm or deny tax man?

^ confirm, but I thought it was a turnover of 50k?

I still owe the ato $60k from last year. Always declare your income, even if it's from overseas. Now I get taxed quarterly.

confirm, but I thought it was a turnover of 50k?

Yeah pretty sure its closer to that from memory. Had a "small business" but really from tax reasons it was considered a hobby.

I have one more question related to BAS statements. Because I've pretty much only made $345 in one quarter of all my quarters, I just chuck 345 on the bas and dont bother paying any GST (obviously because Im under 75K!)?

Every BAS I've had since 1st qtr has been a nil so I havent even really looked at what I need to put on the damn thing :S.

You still need to lodge them.

But why be registered for GST?

You still need to lodge them.

But why be registered for GST?

Apple requires GST registration unfortunately.

What I mean is, on the BAS, I just state $345 income and $0 GST? I really need to read up on it all...

Did you collect GST on the sales?

I thought it was if you earn less than $X you don't have to register an ABN, but once you do, you need to account for GST in all sales, even if it's below the threshold.

I'm not entirely sure **hmm-face**

My Apple payment summary didnt mention any sorta GST. I think its up to the developer to handle their country's tax requirements.

It's 20k of assessable income not 50k.

Lookup Non-Commercial Losses

So in other words, if I have an ABN and GST registration (merely because Apple requires it) and I know for a fact that I'm not going to earn anywhere even remotely close to the $75,000 threshold, what do I put on my BAS/tax?

Maybe I should go to a tax agent...

Yes you probably should :)

Tax and business stuff is too complicated for a young kid like me.

You need an ABN even to be a sole trader - but you don't need to collect GST if under the threshold ($75k is correct).

Obviously there are enough people going under the radar here though. Imagine your market folk and the like setting up stalls every week selling jam or whatever - unlikely they have registered business or declare that income. Doesn't make it right - just pointing out the obvious flaws in trying to police the system.

You should read this excellent document 3dee: http://www.ato.gov.au/content/downloads/bus76494nat3029.pdf

This bit is poignant:

If you are not registered for GST
If your business is not required to be registered for GST and
you have chosen not to register, you:
■ don’t collect GST on your sales or claim GST credits on your
purchases. Your business issues normal invoices – it must
not issue tax invoices. Normal invoices don’t include the
words ‘tax invoice’ or indicate that the invoiced amount
includes GST
■ can claim the full cost of your business purchases (including
any GST) as a tax deduction on your income tax return.
If you receive an invoice for goods or services you have
purchased from someone who is not registered or required to
be registered for GST, it is not a tax invoice and you can’t claim
a GST credit for the GST included in the price of those goods
or services.

More info: business.gov.au

There are a few extra questions, like the personal services income etc.

If you can't be f***ed going to a tax agent and can't work out the business section, you could put it in "Other Income" (right at the end) and feign ignorance if you ever get audited. At the end of the day you have claimed the money and paid tax on it.

But you should really go through the business section, it should explain all the questions, you will probably be a personal services business, and that just means you are limited to what type of deductions you can claim (but internet costs etc are fine),. Etax is pretty great - but i haven't used the business section of it.

Cheers Pinky. I guess you could say I went and got an ABN and GST "because Apple required it" haha so as far as knowing the ins and outs of having an extra bit of income via an ABN, I'm completely clueless.

I'll check that PDF out. I might have got the booklet anyway, just never read it (looked boring :P).

And if you income from things you do on the side, even if you give an invoice and use an ABN, doesnt have to be declared if it can be clasified as a hobby.

Its on the ato website somewhere, but I think from memory its has to be a under a few g a year income and have expenses that basically wipe out the income.

Thats it viper, the most ive made on a whole would be about 1500 bucks for doing some graphic/web design and some iPhone app sales and a few other things.

Fade thanks for that, makes it a bit clearer now. Looks like I got a bit of work to do. Living here now on a permanent contract .

Residency is a very grey area. It's all a matter of interpretation. From an advice point of view you should take steps to establish a permanent base overseas. There's nothing stopping you from cutting all ties to Australia, but you should take steps to demonstrate an intention to stay overseas.

Humm.... wouldn't that still be classified as your "normal" travel to and from work site? I know it's different from us nerds in the office but still, that's just _you_ getting from home to work i.e. your primary work site and primary occupation requirement.

It's not like it's a special requirement part of your job. Unless you're a contractor (i.e. not on wages) and you normally work at a primary work site i.e. in an office somewhere but get call out to do a quote/work on client's site.

I could be wrong but...

i just meant that i get sent to a certain job site at say, caboolture, then get sent to a site at say, 8mile plains, oxley, etc

all the time bro :)

Are naturopath expenses allowable under thprivate medical exenses rebate?

The ATO's website is unclear.

existence looks right according to this dude:

You can claim the cost of trips between home and work where:

•You use your car because you have to carry bulky tools or equipment that you use for work – for example, an extension ladder or cello and there is no secure place for you to leave them at work
•Your home is a base of employment – you start your work at home and travel to a workplace to continue the work, or
•You have shifting places of employment – you regularly work at more than one site each day before returning home.

Are naturopath expenses allowable under thprivate medical exenses rebate?

The ATO's website is unclear.

Not sure myself actually, but I know certain "pseduo-medical" professions can only be claimed if you have a referral from a GP. Pretty sure Chiropractic services is one of them - no idea on naturopath

quick google:

(naturopathic consultation and herbal supplements prescribed by a Naturopath may be counted as part of your tax-deductible medical expenses for each year. You need to get a referral to the Naturopath from a doctor before you attend fertility consultation. For more information phone ATO: 13 28 61.

http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/therapist/1223

Maybe call the ATO to make sure, get their name and s*** also.

last edited by Fireblood at 12:16:50 04/Jul/09

You can claim the cost of trips between home and work where:

•You use your car because you have to carry bulky tools or equipment that you use for work – for example, an extension ladder or cello and there is no secure place for you to leave them at work
•Your home is a base of employment – you start your work at home and travel to a workplace to continue the work, or
•You have shifting places of employment – you regularly work at more than one site each day before returning home.

i win at tax

09

Oh man I wish I didn't read Fireblood's post. Now I'm all pissed off on a Sunday morning.

Why because you can't claim pot as a medical expense?

Thanks Fade, the second link you gave earlier sheds more on that. It does seem gray for me and I believe I have taken steps where I could demonstrate I am a non-resident of australia anymore. With the financial year over in australia I have found out my HECS debt is still growing (obviously). If I am no longer a resident should I still be taking steps to reduce the debt? I guess it would be a good idea to do something about it in case I ever return? I never put a big dent into it back in Aus as I just did the end of financial year contributions to it.

last edited by Infidel at 08:25:39 06/Jul/09