Do I Need an ABN if I Also Have a Job?

Yes. Your ABN income is separate from your job income. They combine at tax time, but your ABN still requires correct reporting on a Business Schedule.

Having a regular job doesn’t cancel out your ABN. They’re two completely different income streams in the eyes of the ATO. Your employer withholds tax from your salary, but your ABN income comes in untouched — which means it must be declared separately.

At tax time, both incomes are added together to work out your total taxable income. This is why some side-hustlers get tax bills. It’s not because the ATO is cranky — it’s simply because the ABN income didn’t have any tax withheld during the year.

Good news: if you claim deductions properly, you can shrink the tax impact dramatically. GoTax walks you through the ABN Business Schedule step-by-step so you don’t miss the deductions you’re entitled to.

Quick explainer:

• Your job and ABN can run together

• Your job withholds tax

• Your ABN doesn’t

• At the end, both combine

• GoTax helps you claim everything to reduce the sting

If you’re both working and side-hustling, the Side-Hustle Tax Guide is your best friend.