If you work at a snow resort as a ski or snowboarding instructor, in the office or ticket area or in the restaurant or cafeteria, some of the tax deductions you may be able to claim on your personal tax return are:

Meals and Travel

• The cost of buying meals when you work overtime, provided you have been paid an allowance by your employer (you can claim for your meals without having to keep any receipts, provided you can show how you have calculated the amount you spent)
• The cost of parking, tolls, taxis and public transport if you are required to travel to attend seminars, meetings and training courses (if you need to stay away overnight you can also claim for the cost of all meals and your accommodation)
• The cost of using your own car for work, including travel to attend meetings, to attend training courses or driving from one area of the resort to another, but not for driving from your accommodation to your usual place of work at the resort (to claim for car costs it is usually best to keep a diary record of the number of kilometres you travel during the year for work purposes and then we can calculate the amount of your tax deduction at the end of the year)

Work Clothing

• The cost of buying compulsory uniforms (including shirts, pants, skirts, jackets, jumpers – your uniform should have the resort’s logo on it to ensure it is tax deductible)
• The cost of laundry or dry cleaning of your uniforms (this can include using the machines at your accommodation – just keep a diary record of how many loads you do per week or per month)
• The cost of buying sun protection items, including sunscreen, hats and sunglasses, if you are required to work outdoors at least part of the time
• The cost of buying other protective equipment, including gloves, goggles, helmet, beanies, gum boots, ski jackets and pants, if you are required to work outdoors at least part of the time

Training

• The cost of work-related training courses, for example ski/snowboard instructor updates or higher level courses, (but not your initial training, unless you are already employed by the resort at that time), first aid, OH&S, marketing, bookkeeping, customer service, RSA, food service, equipment maintenance etc (you can also claim for the cost of travelling to and from the course and any accommodation and meal expenses if you are required to stay away overnight)
• The cost of self-education courses run by a University (not including HECS/HELP fees) or TAFE, but only if the course directly relates to your current job. If you are studying, you can also claim for the cost of books, stationery, equipment and travel required for your course

Work Equipment

• The cost of buying and repairing equipment you use at work, including skis, poles, snowboard, tools, electronic organisers, laptop computers and mobile phones
• The cost of any materials or supplies that you buy for use at work, for example safety gear, beacons, first aid equipment, backpack or belt bag, GPS, stationery, diary, briefcase

Other Work Expenses

• The cost of annual association membership fees or union fees (for example APSI)
• The cost of work-related magazines
• The cost of work-related books (these could include snow safety, rescue or ski/snowboard instructing books for outdoor workers or marketing, customer service, computer and finance management books for office workers)
• The cost of work-related mobile or home telephone calls and rental (you should keep a diary record of the number of phone calls you make for work for one month and then we can use that to estimate your usage for the whole season)
• The cost of work-related internet connection fees (you can only claim the proportion of your monthly fees that relate to work use, which could include emailing, research relating to your work including daily snow and weather conditions and safety reports)

General Expenses

There are some tax deductions that all employees can claim on their personal tax returns:

• The amount of any donations to registered charities (as long as you haven’t received anything in return for your donation, such as raffle tickets or novelty items)
• The cost of bank fees charged on any investment accounts
• The cost of income protection or sickness and accident insurance premiums (this type of insurance covers you if you hurt yourself (including when you are not at work) or become sick and you are unable to work. It will pay you your normal wage until you are fit to return to work – if you don’t have this insurance you should see a financial adviser or ask us and we will refer you to someone who can organise it for you. It is definitely worthwhile)
• Your tax agent fees (the amount you pay to your accountant to prepare your tax return each year)
• The cost of travelling to see your tax agent (you can claim the cost of travelling to see your accountant to have your tax return prepared. You should keep a record of the number of kilometres you travel and any other incidental costs such as parking, meals, accommodation etc)

We suggest that you keep receipts for all purchases that are work related, even if they are not listed above. That way, when we prepare your tax return, we can decide whether you are allowed to claim a tax deduction for them or not.

If you would like any more information about the deductions listed or if you would like the Personal Tax Specialists team to prepare your tax return for you to ensure you maximise your claims this year, contact us at info@personaltaxspecialists.com.au.