As the COVID-19 pandemic forces many non-essential workers to work from home, the Australian Tax Office has announced new working from home expense rules.
The ATO has rolled out a new working from home shortcut for anyone who has been working at home since March 1, because of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Listen: What four Australian healthcare workers want you to know about COVID-19.
Here’s what you need to know before tax time rolls around.
What is the 80 cents per hour shortcut?
Instead of having to calculate costs for specific running expenses, such as the proportion of internet time used for work or entertainment, employees can claim a flat 80 cents per hour worked at home.
The special new arrangement will allow people to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all their running expenses, instead of calculating costs for specific running expenses as taxpayers would…