Can I Claim Travel, Meals, and Accommodation on My Tax Return in 2025? Gotax Publishing – 27 October 2025 Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Travel for Work? Know What You Can (and Can’t) Claim If you’ve travelled for work in the past year—whether it’s a conference, client visit, or overnight shift—you might be wondering: Can I claim those travel costs
Do I Need GST Under $75,000? Most ABN holders do not need to register for GST if their business turnover is under $75,000 for the financial year. GST registration is only required once you expect your turnover to reach the $75,000 threshold. If you’re below that level, you can stay out of the GST system and keep your administration simple. This is where many new ABN holders get conf
Side Hustle + ABN: Will I Get a Tax Bill? If you have a regular job and️an ABN, the honest answer is: possibly. Your employer withholds tax from your salary throughout the year. Your ABN income, however, arrives with no tax withheld at all. At tax time, the ATO combines both income streams to calculate your total taxable income. That combination is what can create a tax bill if things a
How Do I Pay Tax With an ABN? Tax works differently with an ABN compared to a normal job. When you’re an employee, your employer withholds tax from your wages automatically. With ABN income, nobody withholds anything. The full amount lands in your account, and your tax is worked out later when you lodge your tax return. This is why many first-year ABN holders get surpris
Can I Claim Startup Costs for My ABN? Yes — you can claim many startup costs for your ABN, even if they were incurred before you earned your first dollar. Most new ABN holders spend money upfront to get ready to earn income. The tax system allows deductions for these pre-establishment expenses, provided they genuinely relate to setting up or running your business. The rule is straig
Do I Need a Business Bank Account for My ABN? Short answer: no — a business bank account is not legally required to run an ABN. The ATO doesn’t care which account your ABN income is paid into. It can be a personal account or a business account. What they care about is accurate records that clearly show your business income and expenses. That said, what’s allowed and what
What Tax Deductions Can I Claim as a New ABN Holder? Most new ABN holders underestimate how many tax deductions they’re entitled to claim. If you spent money to help you earn ABN income — or to get set up so you could earn income — there’s a good chance the expense is deductible. This applies even if your business hasn’t fully taken off yet. The key rule is s
What Receipts Do I Need to Keep for My ABN? Running an ABN means you’re allowed to claim business expenses — but only if you can prove them. The ATO doesn’t want essays or explanations. They want evidence. That evidence usually comes in the form of receipts, invoices, or transaction records that show what you spent and why it relates to earning your income. If you can&rs
ABN But No Income — Do I Still Need to Lodge? Holding an ABN doesn’t stop your tax obligations just because you didn’t earn money. If your ABN was active during the year, the tax system still expects a response — especially if you spent money setting up or running your business. Lodging keeps your record clean and ensures nothing is missed. This catches out a lot o
Do I Need GST for My New ABN? GST is one of the most misunderstood parts of starting an ABN, and it causes unnecessary stress for new business owners. The reality is much simpler than most people think. Most new ABN holders do not need GST, especially in their first year. Registering too early often creates paperwork and reporting obligations that provide no benefit. The key is knowing wh