Tax Deduction Claims for Nurses

Health care professionals like nurses, midwives and direct carers are an absolutely vital part of our society, now more than ever – and if this is you, we want to make sure you get every possible deduction and benefit possible in your next tax return.

There are a large number of occupation-specific expenses that our expert team of tax agents can help you claim to help you get the maximum possible refund this tax-time.

As specialists in discovering nurse specific deductions, our expertise guarantees you a maximum refund.  

To claim a deduction for work-related expenses:

• You must have spent the money yourself and weren't reimbursed  

• It must be directly related to earning your income  

• You must have a record to prove it.

You can only claim the work-related part of expenses. You can't claim a deduction for any part of the expense that relates to personal use

NURSE, MIDWIFE AND DIRECT CARER SPECIFIC DEDUCTIONS YOU CAN CLAIM

• Driving your car between separate jobs on the same day – eg travelling from your job as a carer to a second job as a musician

• Driving to and from an alternate workplace for the same employer on the same day – eg driving from your usual clinic to another clinic to work for the same employer.

• If your uniform is compulsory, you may be able to claim for non-slip shoes, socks, stockings or a single item like a tie if they're an essential part of your work gear.  

• Occupation-specific clothing, which are garments that aren't every day in nature but would allow the public to easily recognise you as a nurse.  

• The cost of laundering and dry-cleaning your eligible work clothes such as your required uniform.

• Self-education expenses if your course relates directly to your current job, eg wound care course

• The costs of renewing your annual practising certificate as well as attending seminars, conferences and training courses that are work-related.  

• The costs of journals, periodicals and magazines that have a content considered to be aligned with your job.  

• Tools of your trade, including stethoscopes and other medical equipment, reference books, and nursing fobs

• Mobiles if you're on call

• As long as the expense relates to your employment, you can claim a deduction for the work-related portion of the cost of:  

  • Calculators  

  • Union and professional association fees  

  • Agency commissions and agency fees, and annual practising certificate fees  

  • Technical or professional publications.

NURSE, MIDWIFE AND DIRECT CARER SPECIFIC DEDUCTIONS YOU CAN'T CLAIM

• The cost of trips between home and work, even if you live a long way from your usual workplace or have to work outside normal business hours – eg public holiday shifts.

• There are limited circumstances where you can claim the cost of trips between home and work, such as where you carry bulky tools or equipment for work – eg, a set of baby scales. The cost of these trips is deductible only if:

  • Your employer requires you to transport the equipment for work  

  • The equipment was essential to earning your income  

  • There was no secure area to store the equipment at the work location, and  

  • The equipment is bulky – at least 20kg or cumbersome to transport.  

(If you claim car expenses, you need to keep a logbook to determine the work-related percentage, or be able to demonstrate to the ATO a reasonable calculation if you use the cents per kilometre method to claim.)

• The cost of buying or cleaning plain clothing worn at work, even if your employer tells you to wear it, and even if you only wear it for work, eg black pants and a white shirt.

• For study if it is only related in a general way or is designed to help get you a new job, eg you can't claim the cost of study to enable you to move from being a carer to being a registered nurse.

KEEP THE RIGHT RECORDS

We know it's hard to keep on top of your financial records while you're focusing on patient records – so while you focus on wellness, we'll stay focused on getting your taxes in order. All we need from you is a travel diary that details work-related travel and any records you have. Just keep your receipts, invoices, bank and credit card statements and when it comes to tax time, our accountants will diligently work through your deductions.

With over 40 years as Australia's leading taxation experts, we're fascinated by numbers – and great results. To make sure you max your tax as fast as possible, call 132325 and lock in an appointment at your local H&R Block office today.