Following on from the 2020 financial year when a simplified calculation for working from home expenses could be claimed as a tax deduction, the 2021 financial year will see similar deductions. As a reminder, the taxpayer has three options to claim working from home costs as follows: claim a rate of 80 cents per work hour for all additional running expenses. This is known as the “short cut method”. claim a rate of 52 cents per work hour for heating, cooling, lighting, cleaning, and the decline in value of office furniture, plus calculate the work-related portion of phone and internet expenses, computer consumables, stationery, and the decline in value of a computer, laptop, or similar device. claim the actual work-related portion of all running expenses, which taxpayers need to calculate on a reasonable basis. Expenses include the following: electricity expenses associated with heating, cooling, and lighting the area from which they are working and running items they are using for work. cleaning costs for a dedicated work area. phone and internet expenses. computer consumables (for example, printer paper and ink) and stationery. home office equipment, including computers, printers, phones, furniture, and furnishings; you can claim either the: - full cost of items up to $300 - decline in value (depreciation) for items over $300 It is important that the taxpayer has incurred the expense themselves for work purposes, they have not been reimbursed by their employer and that they are able to substantiate the expenses with a receipt.

The Federal Government is establishing a new Australian Business Registry Services (ABRS) to unify ASIC’s 31 business registers to be administered by the Australian Taxation Office. Director Identification Numbers will be the first new function of the ABRS, and this requirement will be a new requirement for all company directors. The director DIN will be a unique identifier which will identify the director forever, and the director will retain it even if they cease to be a director, change names or move overseas or interstate. The practice if Illegal phoenixing, i.e. moving a company’s business from one entity to another without paying outstanding liabilities, will be a major focus of the new DIN process, and will assist to identify those dishonest directors who are doing the wrong thing. According to the ATO website, directors don’t currently need to do anything, but the ATO said it will soon begin testing the new application process to deliver the registrations. When it’s time to apply, the ATO said directors will be able to use ABRS online services and will sign in using the myGovID app.