Tax return checklist: what to have ready

A good tax return starts with good records. Work through this list before your appointment or before you upload files to us, and tick off what applies. Most people won't need everything here — skip anything that isn't yours. Where the ATO already has data (your income statement, bank interest, health insurance), we'll pull it in; the list simply helps you confirm it's complete.

Income

• Income statement from each employer. Employers report through Single Touch Payroll and must finalise by 14 July, so wait until your income statement shows as "tax ready" in myGov before we lodge.
• Bank interest for every account, including joint accounts and children's accounts you control.
• Dividend statements — including dividends reinvested under a DRP, and franking credits.
• Managed fund or ETF annual tax statements (usually issued July–September).
• Crypto asset records — a full transaction export from each exchange or wallet, with Australian-dollar values at the time of each trade, swap or sale. Export before closing any account.
• Shares or other assets sold — buy and sell contract notes, plus brokerage.
• Rental property income and expenses — see our separate rental property checklist.
• Sole-trader income — invoices, a summary of business income and expenses, or access to your Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks file.
• Government payments (Centrelink, Services Australia), plus any lump sums, termination payments or foreign income.

Deductions — grouped by category

For every item below, the test is the same: you paid it, it relates to earning your income, and you can show a record. Mixed-use items are claimed at the work-related share only.

• Car — logbook (12 continuous weeks) and running costs, or a reasonable record of work kilometres for the cents-per-kilometre method. Home-to-work travel is not claimable.
• Travel — fares, accommodation and meals for work travel, plus a travel diary for trips of six or more nights.
• Uniforms and protective clothing — receipts for compulsory or occupation-specific items and the cost of laundering them.
• Working from home — a record of actual hours worked from home for the whole year (a timesheet, roster or diary), plus bills if you want to compare the actual-cost method.
• Phone and internet — bills and a record showing the work-related share.
• Tools, equipment and computers — receipts, purchase dates and the work-use percentage. Items over $300 are usually claimed over time.
• Self-education — course fees, textbooks and travel, where the course relates to your current job.
• Union fees and professional memberships — annual statements.
• Income protection insurance premiums paid outside super.
• Donations to deductible gift recipients — receipts. There's no longer a $2 minimum for gifts made on or after 1 July 2024 (the $2 minimum still applies to political donations).
• Personal super contributions you intend to claim — plus your fund's acknowledgment of the notice of intent.
• Last year's tax agent fee — deductible in the year you paid it.

Health insurance, HELP and spouse

• Private health insurance — insurers report to the ATO and usually no longer send statements unless asked. We'll check the pre-filled details; tell us if you changed funds or cover during the year.
• HELP, VET Student Loan or other study loan — just let us know you have one. Compulsory repayments are worked out through your return once your repayment income passes the threshold.
• Spouse details — your partner's name, date of birth and taxable income for the year (needed for Medicare levy surcharge and some offsets even if we don't prepare their return).
• Dependants and any Medicare levy exemption certificate.

Your details

• Bank account (BSB and account number) for your refund — entered through our secure onboarding form, not by email.
• Address, phone and email if any have changed since last year.
• Residency changes — dates you arrived in or left Australia, if relevant.
• Previous year's return or notice of assessment if we didn't prepare it.

Records rules worth knowing

• 2026–27 returns onwards: eligible taxpayers receive a standard deduction of up to $1,000 for work-related expenses with no receipts. It is reduced dollar-for-dollar by the work expenses you claim, so a claim above $1,000 needs evidence for all of it. The standard deduction does not apply to 2025–26 returns.
• From 1 July 2026 the old $300 work-expense and $150 laundry no-receipt exceptions no longer apply.
• A bank statement alone is not written evidence — keep the receipt or invoice.
• Keep records for five years from the date you lodge.