As a taxpayer, you must always keep the receipts of the items or services that you spent money on for business purposes. However, there might be some cases where you end up misplacing or losing the receipts. Does that mean you cannot claim deductions on these?
There are still some chances for you to claim these, but there are some conditions that you will have to fulfil. First, let’s discuss the rules for a deduction on the tax return.
- The purchase must be work-related
- You paid it on your own, and your employer hasn’t reimbursed it
- You need evidence to support this purchase
With the lack of receipt, you cannot provide evidence, but depending upon the deduction you want to claim, you may get through. Here’s everything you can do.
$300 Rule
Did you know taxpayers can claim a $300 tax deduction without receipts? Yes, the ATO allows an individual to claim work-related expenses without receipts but only up to a maximum of $300 altogether. Keep in mind that this limit applies to the total expense, not to each item.
How Can You Claim Tax Deductions Without Receipts?
Bank Statements Might Help
The ATO accepts a bank statement or some sort of written evidence that proves that you made the purchase. This statement must contain a description that clarifies the purpose of the purchase.
A picture of the packaging of that particular item will also come in handy and strengthen your claim even further.
Contact You Tax Accountant
Seeking help from tax accountants can be a good decision. A tax accountant can check your income statement to see if there is any other deduction claimable.
Suppose you are a member of a union, and there is a weekly payment that you have to pay. Although you may not have a receipt for this payment, in the income statement, it will be listed as a line item. Hence it is deductible.
Try To Ask the Retailer For Another Receipt
There is nothing to lose in asking the retailer for a duplicate receipt. Usually, retailers do not have any problems giving that to you, especially if it is a large purchase. In case your receipt has multiple items, some of which are personal, you will need to separate them. A tax accountant will help you with this task.
Deductions The ATO Allows Without Receipt
Here are a couple of things you can claim a deduction on without showing the receipt:
- Fuel or petrol cost (with or without a logbook)
- Computer items (with credit or debit card statement as proof)
- Stationery items (with credit or debit card statement)
What Is Not Acceptable?
There are a couple of instances when claiming a deduction without a receipt is not possible.
- If your excuse is that you paid in cash, then the ATO will disregard this as there is no proof of it happening.
- What if you have a photo of the purchased article which clearly shows the price tag? Unfortunately, without a receipt or bank statement, this is not acceptable.
- Just like a photograph, if you have an advertisement or catalogue that shows the price, it holds no value to the ATO.
To know more about the deductions and how to claim them, contact Clear Tax Accountants.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general purposes only and should not be relied upon for making legal or other decisions. The advice provided in this article is general in nature and is not subject to the personal financial situation and needs of any individual. Clear Tax tries to keep the information accurate and up-to-date; however, you should bear in mind with changing circumstances, the accuracy and reliability of the information will not necessarily remain the same. The information is by no means a substitute for financial advice.
