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The Sharing Economy And Your Tax Return – How You Could Be Affected

In Australia any income earned by a job may be considered to be taxable income. Those who receive their income via the sharing economy are no exception to the rule. In fact, there can be further complications that result from incorrect understandings of how the income tax and goods & services tax may apply to those individuals.

The sharing economy is a socio-economic system built around sharing resources, often through a digital platform like a website or an app that others can purchase the right to use for a fee.

Popular sharing economy services and activities that could be subject to income tax include

Here are some of the things you need to bear in mind about the income and goods & services tax for these popular sharing economy services.

Ride-Sourcing/Ride-Sharing

If you’ve ever caught an Uber or gotten a Lyft, you’ve been on the passenger side of ride-sourcing. The income received from ride-sourcing is subject to goods and services tax (GST) and income tax is applied to it. All drivers on ride-sourcing platforms in Australia must have an Australian business number and be registered for GST.

GST requires:

Income tax needs to:

Renting out all or part of your home

Renting out all or part of your residential house or unit through a digital platform can be an easy way to supplement your income, especially if you aren’t using the property at that particular time. If you do this, you:

Sharing Assets (Excluding Accommodation)

Assets that can be shared through a platform can include personal assets (e.g. bikes, caravans), storage or business spaces (e.g car parking spaces) or personal belongings like tools, equipment and clothes.

When renting out or hiring these (share) assets that you own or lease through a digital platform, you:

Providing Services

Providing time, labour or skills (services) through a digital platform for a fee requires you to report income in your tax return. Deductions for expenses directly related to earning this income can be claimed, and records need to be kept to support these claims.

The following services that can be provided are considered to incur assessable income that needs to be reported in your tax return:

If the thought of trying to navigate your way through your tax return is a little daunting, consider speaking to us for assistance.

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No More Shortcuts: The Methods You Can Use To Claim WFH Expenses

March 25, 2024

Ensure you’re up to date on how to claim your working-from-home expenses!

As the business landscape shifts back and forth between office, hybrid and home-based work opportunities, it’s important to remember what methods are available to you when it comes to claiming. If part of your role allows you to work from home, you may be able to claim certain expenses on your tax return this year using one of the following methods.

The Revised Fixed Rate Method:

Under the revised fixed rate method, individuals can claim 67 cents per hour worked from home during the relevant income year. This rate includes additional running expenses, such as home and mobile internet or data, phone usage, and electricity and gas for heating, cooling, and lighting. Importantly, using this method, you cannot claim separate deductions for these expenses.

To use this method, taxpayers must maintain records of the total number of hours worked from home and the expenses incurred while working at home. Additionally, they must keep records of expenses not covered by the fixed rate per work hour, demonstrating the work-related portion of those expenses.

What Records Do You Need?

Previously, taxpayers required a dedicated workspace at home. From 1st March 2023 onwards, the record-keeping requirement has shifted again, necessitating the recording of all hours worked from home as they occur.

How Does The Fixed Rate Method Work?

To utilise the revised fixed rate method:

The Actual Cost Method:

Alternatively, taxpayers can opt for the actual cost method, where deductions are calculated based on actual additional expenses incurred while working from home. This includes expenses for depreciating assets, energy expenses, phone and internet, stationery, computer consumables, and cleaning dedicated home offices.

What Records Do You Need?

To claim work-from-home expenses using actual costs, you must maintain records showing:

How Does The Actual Cost Method Work?

To claim actual expenses:

Australians need to understand their entitlements and tax deductions while working remotely.

Consulting with a tax advisor can provide valuable insights into available concessions, deductions, and offsets for your tax return.

By staying informed and adhering to ATO guidelines, taxpayers can ensure compliance and make the most of available deductions in the evolving landscape of remote work. Why not start a conversation with us today?