Tax Return Checklist 2026: Deductions & Dates

Tax time for the 2025–26 income year is nearly over: if you're doing your own return, it's due by 31 October 2026. This checklist covers what to gather, the deductions most people can claim, the current work-from-home and car rates, and how to get your refund quickly without getting a letter from the ATO later.

Estimate your tax refund

Key dates

What	When
Income year covered	1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
Lodging yourself (myTax or paper)	By 31 October 2026
Using a registered tax agent	Contact them and be on their books by 31 October 2026; they may be able to lodge later under their lodgment program
Typical processing time	Most returns are processed within 12 business days

If you can't lodge on time, contact the ATO or a registered agent before the deadline. Late lodgment can attract penalties, especially if you owe tax.

Step 1: gather your documents

Your income statement from each employer, marked "tax ready" in ATO online services.
Bank interest, dividend and distribution statements, and records of any shares or crypto you sold.
Income from side hustles, gig work, cash jobs, rental properties and online content. The ATO receives data from many platforms.
Your private health insurance details (usually pre-filled).
Receipts and records for deductions, plus your work-from-home hours and car logbook or trip records.
Any Centrelink or government payments, and super contribution notices if you're claiming a personal super deduction.

Most income and private health details are pre-filled from late July, but check them. You're responsible for anything that's missing or wrong.

Step 2: claim what you're entitled to

To claim a work-related deduction you must have spent the money yourself, not been reimbursed, the expense must relate directly to earning your income, and you need a record to prove it.

Working from home: 70c an hour

For 2025–26, the fixed rate method is 70 cents per hour worked from home. It covers electricity and gas for heating, cooling and lighting, internet, phone and stationery. You need a record of the actual hours you worked from home for the whole year (a timesheet, roster or diary kept at the time; estimates aren't accepted) and at least one bill for each type of expense the rate covers.

Example: two days a week at home, six hours a day, for 46 weeks is 552 hours. At 70c that's a $386.40 deduction, worth about $124 back if you're in the 30% bracket (32% with Medicare). You can claim the work-related decline in value of equipment like a desk, chair or computer on top; items costing $300 or less can generally be claimed in full straight away.

The actual cost method is the alternative, but it needs detailed records of each expense and your work-related use.

Car expenses: 88c per km

For 2025–26, the cents per kilometre method is 88 cents per km, up to a maximum of 5,000 work-related km per car. You don't need receipts, but you must be able to show how you worked out your work kilometres. For more than 5,000 km, use the logbook method, which needs a 12-week logbook with odometer readings.

Example: 3,000 km driving between work sites claims $2,640. Normal trips between home and your regular workplace can't be claimed, even if you live far away or do work on the way.

Other common deductions

Uniforms with your employer's logo, protective clothing and their laundry. Ordinary clothes aren't deductible, even if you only wear them to work.
Tools and equipment you use for work.
Union fees and professional association memberships.
Self-education directly related to your current job.
The cost of managing your tax affairs, such as last year's tax agent fee.
Donations of $2 or more to registered deductible gift recipients.
Income protection insurance premiums paid outside super.
Personal super contributions, if you lodged a valid notice of intent with your fund and got an acknowledgement.

The new $1,000 standard deduction for work-related expenses doesn't apply to 2025–26 returns. It starts with the 2026–27 income year, so you'll first see it at tax time 2027.

Step 3: check before you lodge

Don't copy last year's claims if your job or circumstances changed.
Only claim the work-related portion of anything you also use privately.
Declare all income. Leaving income out leads to amendments, interest and penalties.
Check advice from social media, AI tools or friends against the ATO website.
Be wary of scams: the ATO won't call you demanding payment or send unexpected links asking for your details.

Step 4: understand your refund (or bill)

Your refund is the difference between the tax withheld from your pay and the tax you actually owe after deductions and offsets. For 2025–26, the resident rates were nil to $18,200, 16% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000 and 45% above, plus the 2% Medicare levy. A HECS-HELP repayment, the Medicare levy surcharge or under-withheld second jobs can turn a refund into a bill. If you made a mistake after lodging, you can lodge an amendment.

To check progress, use the ATO app or ATO online services. Calling the ATO won't make it faster.

Work out your WFH and car deductions

Frequently asked questions

When is the tax return deadline in 2026?

31 October 2026 if you lodge yourself. If you use a registered tax agent, contact them and get on their books by 31 October; they may be able to lodge later.

What is the work-from-home rate for 2025–26?

70 cents per hour under the fixed rate method, with a record of your actual hours worked from home for the whole year.

How long does a tax refund take?

The ATO says most returns are processed within 12 business days. Returns that need extra checks can take longer.

Sources

More guides

Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general information only. It isn't financial, tax, credit or legal advice and doesn't consider your circumstances. Rules change, so check the official sources below or speak to a licensed professional before you make a decision.

Tax return checklist 2026: what to claim and when to lodge

Key points