How To Claim Tax Deductions Without Receipts

What deductions can I claim without receipts?

Claiming expenses without a receipt can be risky, because the ATO is watching for false claims. But in some cases it’s okay to claim tax deductions without receipts! Let’s dig into this to ensure you maximise your refund AND avoid ATO troubles.

Tax deductions are the best way to improve your tax refund. If buy items that are required to do your job, then you could get some of that money back.

What can I claim on tax without receipts?

The ATO wants you to keep a receipt for every expense you claim on your tax return. But what happens if you don’t have a receipt? What if you lost it, or it’s so faded that you can’t read it?

Bank or credit card statements might allow you to claim tax deductions without receipts

There are cases where you can claim a tax deduction without a receipt. But first, you need to make sure your expense is “allowable” if you can answer yes to these three questions:

1. Is it directly related to and needed for your job?
2. Did you pay for it yourself?
3. You were not reimbursed or paid back by your employer (or anyone else)?

If you can say yes to all three questions, and you have a credit card statement or bank statement showing transactions for the item(s) you purchased, then usually the ATO will allow that deduction.

If you’re in that situation, we recommend getting into contact with us, so we can look at exactly what evidence you have. Then we can confirm whether you can include the item as a tax deduction on your tax return or not.

Other deductions you might be able to claim without a receipt:

1. Membership Fees or Union Fees: These are usually itemised on your Income Statement or another summary you get from your employer or tax agent.
2. Fuel/Petrol with a logbook: If you keep a proper car logbook for at least 12 consecutive weeks (valid over a 5 year period), then you can use the work-related kilometres you’ve travelled along with the size of your car and a nominal fuel rate to include a petrol deduction on your return. Etax can help work this out for you.
3. Fuel/Petrol without a logbook: If you haven’t kept a car logbook, the ATO will allow a claim, as long as you can show how you’ve calculated the number of claimed kilometres. You can claim up to a maximum of 5,000km per year using the cents per km method.
4. Computer Items: If you have a credit card statement and you make a note against it at the time of the purchase, you can use it as evidence of the claim. It also helps if you take a photo of the packaging as well. The note should say, for example: new home office computer from JB Hi-Fi.
5. Stationery: As above, if you make a note against your credit card statement and take a photo of the item in its packaging, you can usually claim the item as a tax deduction.

What the ATO does NOT accept as proof for deductions with no receipt

There are some forms of “proof” the ATO will NOT accept. These include:

• Claiming you have no records because you paid with cash. The ATO will not allow any of your deductions you say you paid for using cash and you have no tax invoice or receipt for.
• Having an item with a price tag attached, but no evidence you purchased it. The price tag doesn’t mean anything in this case. You also need a corresponding bank statement that confirms you purchased it and how much you purchased it for.
• A catalogue or advertisement with the price of an item, but no evidence you purchased it. As above, if you don’t have a receipt, you need the catalogue AND a bank/credit card statement showing you bought it.

How much can you claim on tax without receipts?

The ATO says that if you have no receipts at all, but you did buy work-related items, then you can claim up to a maximum value of $300 per year.

Most people are eligible to claim more than $300 which would boost their tax refund. However, with no receipts, you’re stuck below that $300 limit.

While the ATO won’t ask you for receipts if your claim is below $300, they may still ask you to explain what it was, how you paid for it, and how it is related to your work.

It’s both easy and important to keep your receipts throughout the year, so you never miss out at tax time. This will really save you money and claiming eligible tax deductions can add up when you lodge your tax return..

Having your receipts ready at tax time is an easy problem to fix. Here’s how:

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Use your Etax Account

• You can save deductions and receipts right in your Etax account, year-round, so they are ready for your next tax return.

• Snap a photo of your receipt as soon as you buy something you’re planning to claim, then Login to Etax and upload it into your account.