Reed Adelaide - Tax and Accounting

30/09/2026

🎓 Tax School: Travel allowances aren’t an automatic tax deduction ✈️

Receiving a travel allowance does not mean you can automatically claim the ATO’s published “reasonable amount”.

It’s easy to misunderstand the wording about not needing receipts. You may not need receipts if you meet the conditions, but you must still be able to show you actually incurred eligible expenses and explain your claim.

💡 You must also receive a bona fide travel allowance to use the travel allowance receipt exception.

This means a genuine allowance paid by your employer to cover expenses you are expected to incur during specific overnight work travel. Simply calling a payment a “travel allowance” does not make it eligible. A token payment or an amount included in your ordinary salary does not automatically qualify.

💡 Can you claim more than your employer pays you?

Yes, potentially—but only if you actually spent more on deductible work-related travel expenses.

For example, using illustrative amounts:

• Your employer pays you a $50 meal allowance.
• You spend $75 on eligible meals during overnight work travel.
• Your potential deduction is $75, not an automatic $120 because that is the applicable ATO reasonable amount.

📝 How can you support your claim?

✅ Bank statements: Highlight relevant purchases and note what they were for.

✅ Meal diary: Record the date, location, meal and actual amount spent, including cash purchases.

✅ Travel diary or calendar: Record travel dates, destinations and the work purpose.

✅ Receipts: Take photos and save them—these remain the clearest evidence, even where an exception applies.

✅ Payslips and employer records: Keep details showing the allowance received, what it covers and the work travel it relates to.

Remember, a cash withdrawal alone doesn’t prove what you spent the money on. Also record any meals provided by your employer or included in accommodation.

These rules generally relate to overnight work travel. Everyday meals at your usual workplace are generally private, and different rules apply to overtime meal allowances and living-away-from-home arrangements. Expenses paid directly or reimbursed by your employer cannot also be claimed.

If you don’t receive a qualifying allowance, you may still be entitled to claim eligible travel expenses, but the normal receipt and record-keeping requirements apply.

The ATO’s reasonable amount is a threshold for a record-keeping exception—not a standard deduction everyone receives.

If you’re unsure, please check with me before including a claim in your tax return. 😊

You may not need to keep written evidence or detailed records for travel expense claims within the reasonable amounts.

30/09/2026

🎓 Tax School: Can you claim 5,000 km without receipts? 🚗

A few clients have asked about the ATO’s advice that receipts aren’t required when claiming car expenses using the cents per kilometre method. It’s easy to see how this wording can be misunderstood.

The 5,000 km limit is not an automatic deduction or a standard amount everyone can claim.

While you don’t need fuel receipts or a formal logbook under this method, you still need to:

✅ Have actually travelled the kilometres for eligible work or business purposes.

✅ Be able to explain how you calculated your claim using a reasonable estimate.

✅ Support that calculation—for example, with your calendar, diary, client appointments or work schedules.

🚫 Travel between home and your usual workplace is generally private travel and cannot be claimed, although some exceptions apply.

For example, a 40 km return trip to visit a client each week for 45 weeks would equal 1,800 work-related kilometres—not an automatic 5,000 km.

“No receipts required” does not mean “no basis for the claim required.”

ATO guidance can be easy to misinterpret when a sentence is read without the surrounding conditions. If you’re unsure whether your travel qualifies or how to calculate it, please check with me before including it in your return. 😊

How to calculate a deduction for car expenses using the cents per kilometre method and the records you need to keep.

15/09/2026

📌 Office Visits – By Appointment Only

Please note that my office is open by appointment only.

As my office is located at my home, for safety and privacy reasons, please do not approach the office unless you have a confirmed appointment.

If you are unable to reach me by phone, please email [email protected], and I will respond as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

31/08/2026

Hey lovely people, Can I ask if you are ringing my phone and leaving a message that you include your phone number in the message. I am having a few issues with my phone not ringing and it goes straight to voicemail, however as it doesn't ring, your phone number is not on my missed calls list and i have have no way of calling you back.
Thanks everyone :)

15/06/2026

SMS Sender ID Register
The way businesses and organisations send branded text messages is changing.

From 1 July 2026, new rules mean texts sent with an organisation’s name at the top of a message (known as a branded sender ID) will need to have the sender ID registered.

Find out about the changes and how they apply to you.

https://www.acma.gov.au/sms-sender-id-register

11/06/2026

Tax time bookings have gone crazy! Well done to my clients who are getting in early. July is completely gone with only a few spots left in August. I also want to let you know that my Individual tax returns rates have been increased by $7 this year to start from $132 (unless this is your 3rd consecutive year, then you will get your 20% discount to my lovely loyal clients).

13/05/2026

Wow what a budget last night! I understand there are a lot of questions and concerns. I'm currently working on some correspondence for my lovely clients to answer some of your concerns. In the meantime, please email me if you need to have a chat. Biggest thing I need to advise is for everyone take a breath and we will work through this.
I'm currently waiting for some more legislative correspondence to show me the ins and outs to the changes to capital gains, negative gearing and taxation in Trust.

20/04/2026

IMPORTANT! Please let me know if you get any strange emails from me. Please don't click on any links etc.